THE Life of 
-»i^ General -#*► 

Stonewall Jackson 

m EASY WORDS FOR THE YOUNG 



BY MRS-M'L- WILLIAMSON 



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E 467 
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.J15 W5 
Copy 1 




B-F'JOHNSON PUBLJSHiNG CO. 
RICHMOND VIRGiNlA 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



OhspA ^.^..v Copyright No.. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




General ''Stonewall" Jack; 



Sfaf. 



1. Major W. J. Hawks. (>. Lieutenaut-Colouel A. s. Pendleton. 

2. Major K. L. Dabney. ';. Captain J. P. Smith. 

3. Captain J. Hotchkiss. 8. Captain J. G. Mokkison. 

4. Lieutenant-Colonel W. Allan. 9. Major II. K. Douglas. 

5. Major HuNTEK McGuire, lO. Major D. B. Bbidgefokd. 

Medical Director. 



THE LIPE 



or 

QenThosJJackson 

"Stonewall" 

' rOQ THE YOUNG, 

irOURTH READER GRADE) 

In Easy Words, 
illustrated. 

^^ ^ 
BV Mrs. MARY L. WILLIAMSON. 



1599. 

B. r. JOHNSON PUBLISHING CO. 

RICHMOND, VA 



1 






1 



L Ibrary of ra,,^ 

e^V , DEC 19 1509 



51122 

Copyrigfht, iSqq, 

BY 

Mrs. MARY L. WILLIAMSON. 



*f-'*^*^ 



SECOND OOPY« 



DEDICATED 

TO ALL YOUTHS WHO 

ADMIRE THE CHRISTIAN VIR TUES 

AND MILITARY GENIUS OF 

T ROMAS ./. J A CKSON 



PREFACE. 



Continuing the argument set forth in the " Life of 
Gen. Lee for Children," that we can advance primary 
education and impress lessons of morality upon children 
in no better way than to place before them the careers 
of our great men, 1 now give, in simple words, the " Life 
of Gen. Thos. J. Jackson." 

In this brief sketch of our great Southern hero, I have 
endeavored to portray, amid the blaze of his matchless 
military genius, the unchanging rectitude of his conduct, 
the stern will-power by which he conquered all diffi- 
culties, his firm belief in an overruling Providence, and 
his entire submission to the Divine Will. These traits 
of character were the corner-stones upon which he 
reared the edifice of his greatness, and upon which the 
young people of our day will do well to build. 

Teachers may introduce this book as a supplementary 
reader into the fourth grade, as I have been careful to 
employ as few words as possible outside of the voca- 
bulary of that grade. 

in preparing this work, I used chiefly as reference and 
authority the Life of Lieut. -Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, by 
Prof. R. L. Dabney, D. D., who was, for a time, Jack- 
son's chief of staff, and who had personal knowledge of 
his character and military exploits. 

Acknowledgment is due Col. James H. Morrison for 
valuable assistance rendered, and to Mrs. Thomas J. 
Jackson, of Charlotte, N. C, and Mr. M. Miley, of Lex- 
ington, Va., for furnishing valuable illustrative matter. 

I am also indebted to the kindness of Messrs. Paxton 
and Henkel, the editors, respectively, of the Rockbridge 
County News and the Sheyiandoah Valley, for files of their 
reliable journals, containing accounts of the more recent 
events recorded in the last chapter. 

Mary Lynn Williamson. 
New Market, Va., 

March 30, 1899. 



Stonewcill Jackson's Wav. 



Des Rivieres. 



Come ! stack arms, men ; pile on the rails, 

Stir up the camp-fires bright ; 
No matter if the canteen fails. 

We'll make a roaring night. 
Here Shenandoah brawls along. 
There lofty Blue Ridge echoes strong 
To swell the brigade's rousing song 

Of " Stonewall Jackson's Way." 

We see him now- the old slouched hat 

Cocked o'er his eye askew ; 
The shrewd, dry smile, the speech so pat, 

So calm, so blunt, so true. 
The '■ Blue Light Elder '' knows them well : 
Says he, " That's Banks -he's fond of shell ; 
Lord save his soul ! we'll give him — ." Well, 

That's Stonewall Jackson's Way. 

Silence ! ground arms ! kneel all ! caps off ! 

'"Old Blue Light's" going to pray ; 
Strangle the fool who dares to scoff f 

Attention ! it's his way : 
Appealing from his native sod. 
In forma pauperis to God — 
' Lay bare thine arm. stretch forth thy rod ; 

Amen ! " That's Stonewall Jackson's Way. 

He's in the saddle now. Fall in ! 

Steady ! the whole brigade ! 
Hill's at the ford, cut oft! We'll win 

His way out ball and blade. 
What matter if our shoes are worn ? 
What matter if our feet are torn? 
Quick step ! we're with him e'er the morn ! 

That's Stonewall Jackson's Way. 

The sun's bright glances rout the mists 

Of morning— and. by George ! 
There's Longstreet struggling in the lists. 

Hemmed in an ugly goige. 
Pope and his columns whipped before. — 
' Bay'nets and grape ! " hear Stonewall roar ; 
Charge, Stuart ! pav oft' Ashby's score ! " 

Is "Stonewall Jackson's Way.'' 



Life of Gen. T. J. JacKson, 



CHAPTER I. 

An Orphan Boy. 

Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born Jan- 
uary 21, 182 J:, at Clarksburg, West Virginia, 
which State was then a part of old Virginia. 
He sprang from Scotch-Irish stock. His 
great-grandfather, John Jackson, was born 
in Ireland, but his parents moved to the 
city of London when John was only two 
years old. John Jackson grew up to be a 
great trader. In 1748 he came to the New 
World to make his fortune, and landed in 
the State of Maryland. Not long after, he 
married Elizabeth Cummins, a young woman 
who was noted for her good looks, fine mind, 
and great height. 

2 



10 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



John Jackson with his wife soon moved 
West, and at last took up lands in what is 
now^ known as Fpshur county, West Virginia. 
As land was then cheap, he soon owned a 




House ill wJdch Jacknon was Born, Clarksburg, Va. 

large tract of country, and was a rich man 
for those times. He was greatly aided by 
his brave wife, Elizabeth. In those days 
the Indians still made war upon the whites, 



THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 11 

who would flee for safety into the forts or 
strongholds. It is said that in more than 
one of those Indian raids Elizabeth Jackson 
aided in driving off the foe. 




Father of " StonewaW" Jackson. 

When the great Revolutionary war came 
on, John Jackson and several of his sons 
marched to the war; and at its close came 
back safe to their Virginia home. In these 
lovely and fertile valleys, John Jackson and 



12 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

his wife Elizabeth passed long and active 
lives. The husband lived to be eighty-six 
years old, while his wife lived to the great 
age of one hundred and five years. Her 
strength of body and mind fitted her to 
rear a race of mighty men. 

Thomas Jonathan w^as the great-grandson 
of these good people. His father, Jonathan 
Jackson, was a lawyer. He is said to 
have been a man of good mind and kind 
heart. Thomas's mother was Julia Neale, 
the daughter of a merchant in the then 
village of Parkersburg, on the Ohio river. 
Mrs. Jackson was good and beautiful. 
Thomas had one brother, Warren, and two 
sisters, Elizabeth and Laura. Not long after 
the birth of the baby Laura, Elizabeth was 
taken sick with fever and died. Her father, 
worn out with nursing, was also taken ill; 
and two weeks after her death he was laid 
in a grave by her side. 

After his death it was found that he had 
left no property for his widow and babes. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 13 

They were now without a home, and the Ma- 
sonic Order gave the widow a house of one 
room. Here she sewed, and taught school, 
caring as well as she could for her little 
fatherless children. 

In the year 1830 she married Mr. Wood- 
son, a lawyer, who was pleased with her 
youth and beauty. Her children — Warren, 
Thomas, and Laura — were now claimed by 
their father's family, who did not like the 
second marriage of the mother. 

As her new husband was not a rich man, 
she was at last forced to give them up. Little 
Jonathan, then only seven years old, was 
placed behind good, old "Uncle Robinson," 
the last of his father's slaves, and sent away 
to his aunt, Mrs. Brake, who lived about four 
miles from Clarksburg. 

After being one year at his aunt's he was 
sent for to see his mother die. Death for 
her had no sting; and Thomas, long years 
after, said that her dying words and prayers 
had never been erased from his heart. She 



14 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

was laid to rest not far from the famous 
Hawk's Nest, on New river, West Virginia. 

Jonathan was then a pretty child, with 
rosy cheeks, wavy brown hair, and deep-blue 
eyes. It is said of him that, as a child, he 
was strangely quiet and manly. The sad- 
ness of his young life made him grave and 
thoughtful beyond his years. When he was 
but eight years old he went one day to the 
home of his father's cousin. Judge John G. 
Jackson, in Clarksburg. 

While eating his dinner, he said to Mrs. 
Jackson in a quiet way, "Uncle and I don't 
agree. I have quit him and shall not go 
back any more." His kind cousin tried to 
show him that he was in fault and that he 
should go back to his Uncle Brake. He 
only shook his head and said more firmly 
than ever, "No, uncle and I don't agree. 
I have quit him and shall not go back any 
more." It seems that his uncle had tried to 
govern him by force rather than through his 
sense of right and wrong. So, this strange 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 15 

child calmly made up his mind not to stay 
where there would be constant warfare. 

From Judge Jackson's he went that even- 
ing to the home of another cousin, who also 
tried to persuade him to return to his Uncle 
Brake. But Jonathan only said, ''I have 
quit there. I shall not go back there any 
more." The next morning he set out alone 
and on foot, and went eighteen miles to the 
home of his uncle, Cummins Jackson, the 
half-brother of his father. 

There he found his brother Warren, and 
soon felt quite at home with his kind uncle 
and aunts. His Uncle Cummins was a 
bachelor, who owned a fine farm and mills, 
and was one of the largest slave-owners in 
Lewis county. 

He was quite fond of his little nephew, 
and took pains to teach him all the arts of 
country life. He treated him more as an 
equal than as a child, for he saw at once the 
noble nature with which he had to deal. He 
also sent Thomas and Warren to the nearest 



16 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

county school, but Warren, now a bold lad 
of fourteen years, did not like such restraint. 
He at last induced Thomas to go with him 
from their uncle's home to seek their fortunes 
in the great West. 

After stopping for a time at the home of 
their uncle on the Ohio river, they went 
down that river, and for some months were 
not heard from. 

In the fall of that year, they returned to 
their kind friends, ragged, and ill with chills 
and fever. 

Their story was that they made a raft 
and floated down to one of the lonely islands 
in the Mississippi river near the Kentucky 
shore, where they cut wood for steamboats 
on the river. Here they spent - the summer 
alone, with little food, in the midst of a 
dense forest surrounded by the turbid, rush- 
ing waters of the great Mississippi. 

At last, illness forced them to seek their 
way homeward; and Thomas boldly said 
that he was going back to his good Uncle 







Warren and Thomas on, the Ohio river. 



(17) 



18 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Cummins. Warren stopped at the home of 
his Uncle Brake, but disease had laid so 
firm a hold upon him that, after lingering a 
few years, he died, aged about nineteen. 

Thomas and Laura were now all that were 
left of the little family. They lived together 
for several months at their Uncle Cummins' s, 
and it is told of Thomas that he was very 
fond of his little sister. Across the brook 
from the house was a large grove of sugar- 
maple trees where they would go to play 
''making sugar." It was a great pleasure 
to Thomas to build bridges for his little 
sister to walk on in crossing the stream, and 
many were the delights of the cool and 
fragrant forests. But in a short time Laura 
was sent to live with her mother's friends 
in Wood county, and Thomas was left alone. 
Though they could not live together, Thomas 
always cherished the warmest love for his 
sister, and the very first money he ever earned 
was spent in buying a silk dress for her. 

Thomas now went to school to Mr. Kobert 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 19 

P. Ray. He showed no aptness for any 
study except arithmetic. When called upon 
to recite a lesson, he would flatly say that 
he did not understand it and, therefore, was 
not ready ; nor would he go to the next lesson 
until he had learned the first perfectly. Thus, 
he was always behind his class. He was 
never surly at school, but was always ready 
for a merry romp or play. When there 
were games of "bat and ball" or "prisoner's 
base," he was sure to be chosen captain of 
one side, and that side generally won. 

As long as he was treated fairly by his 
playmates, he was gentle and yielding; but, 
if he thought himself wronged, he did not 
hesitate to fight it out. It is said that he 
would never admit that he had been beaten 
in a fray, and was always ready to renew the 
contest when his foe assailed him again. 

In the summer, Thomas worked on the 
farm and became of use to his uncle in 
many ways. ' One of his most frequent tasks 
was to haul great logs of oak and pine from 



20 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

the wood to the saw-mill. He, thus, became 
a famous driver of oxen, and was known 
throughout the country-side as a young man 
of great strength and courage. 

So his life was passed, from nine to six- 
teen, between the school and the farm. He 
was then like his father, of low stature, but 
he afterwards grew tall like the men of his 
mother's race. 

About this time, he was made constable of 
one-half of Lewis county. We see him now 
with his bag of bills and account books 
going up and down the hills of Lewis county. 
In this work he had to be firm and exact, 
for it was now his task to collect money due 
for debts. 

This story is told of his nerve and skill in 
doing this unpleasant duty. A man who 
owed a debt of ten dollars promised to pay 
it at a given time. The day came and the 
man failed to keep his word. Young Jack- 
son paid the money out of his own purse, 
and then watched for the man who would 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 21 

not pay his debt. The very next morning 
the man came riding iq) the street on a good 
horse. Jackson at once taxed him with not 
keeping his word, and was going to take the 
horse for the debt, when the latter resisted, 
and a fierce fight took place in the street. 
In the midst of the fray the man mounted 
his horse and was riding off. 

Jackson, however, sprang forward and 
seized the bridle. Seeing that he could get 
the man off the horse in no other way, he 
led it to the low door of a stable near by. 
The man cuffed him right and left, but Jack- 
son clung to the bridle, and pulled the horse 
into the stable. The man was thus forced 
to slide off to keep from being knocked off; 
and Jackson got the horse. 

Though this life in the open air was good 
for the health of our hero, it did not benefit 
his morals. He was kept much from home, 
and was thrown with the worst class of 
people in the county. 

His aunts had now married, and his Uncle 




Jackson and the Debtor. 



(22) 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 23 

Cummins was keeping "bachelor's hall." 
He also kept race horses, and none save 
Thomas could ride for him if a contest was 
close. 

It was said through all that country that 
if a horse could win, he would do so if young 
Tom Jackson rode him in the race. 

It is sad to think of this young man 
thrown upon the world without mother or 
sister or any human influence, save his own 
will, to keep him in the right way. But 
in this wild, rough life the great wish of 
his heart was to reach that condition from 
which he had been thrust when left a poor 
orphan boy. And even now the great God, 
who has said that He will be a father to the 
fatherless, was opening up a way to a great 
and notable career. 



Constable (kun'-sta-ble), an officer of the peace. 
No-ta-ble, wonderful. 
Ca-reer', a course. 
In'-flu-ence, power not seen. 



24 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Do you remember — 

The name of Thomas's father? 

The place of his birth ? 

His early loss of father and mother ? 

His life at Uncle Cummins's? 

The story told of him when constable ? 

The wish of his heart in the midst of his 
wild, rough life ? 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 25 



CHAPTER IL 
A Cadet. 

In 1842, the place of a cadet in the great 
academy at West Point became vacant. In 
that school or academy the young men of 
the United States are trained to become 
soldiers. Thomas at once sought and secured 
the place, and very soon set out on horse- 
back to Clarksburg, where he would take 
the coach going to Washington. 

He was clad in home-spun clothes, and 
his whole wardrobe was packed in a pair of 
saddle-bags. 

When he reached Clarksburg, he found 
that the coach had passed by; but he rode 
on until he overtook it and then went on to 
Washington city. 

He was kindly met by his friend Mr. 
Hays, member of Congress from his district, 



26 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSOK 

who took him at once to the Secretary of 
War. The latter was so pleased with his 
manly bearing and direct speech that he 
ordered his warrant to be made out at once. 

Mr. Hays wished him to stay in Washing- 
ton for a few days in order to see the sights 
of the city, but he was content to climb to 
the top of the dome of the Capitol, from 
which he could view the whole scene at 
once. He was then ready to go on to West 
Point for examination. His great trouble 
now was the thought that he might not 
know enough to stand that examination. 

Mr. Hays wrote to his friends at the 
academy and asked them to be easy in 
examining the mountain boy, who wished so 
much to be a soldier; and it is said that 
they asked him no very hard questions. 

Thomas was now eighteen years old. He 
had a fresh, ruddy face, and was strong and 
full of courage. 

The fourth-class men at this school were 
called by their school-mates "plebs," and 



28 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

were made to sweep and scrub the barracks 
and to do other tasks of the same kind. 
The third-class men would play pranks upon 
the new boys, some of which were quite hard 
to bear. Now, when they saw this country 
boy in his home-spun clothes, they thought 
that they would have rare sport out of him. 
But such were his courage and good temper 
that they soon let him alone. 

He now studied hard, for, being behind 
his class, he had double work to do. He 
once said to a friend that he studied very 
hard for what he learned at West Point. 

Just as when he was a boy, if he did not 
understand the lesson of the day, he would 
not pass over it to the next, but would work 
on until he knew all about it. 

It was often the case that when called to 
the black-board to recite, he would say that 
he was still at work on the last lesson. This, 
of course, caused him to get low marks, but 
he was too honest to pretend to know what 
he did not understand at all. His teachers 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 29 

judged his mind sound and strong, but not 
quick. What he lacked in quickness, he 
made up in steady work; so, at the end of 
the fourth year, he graduated seventeenth in 
his class. 

During the second year at West Point, he 
grew, as it were, by a leap to the height of 
six feet; and in his cadet uniform was very 
fine-looking. 

He was neat in his attire, and kept his 
gun clean and bright. 

It is said that one day during this year, he 
found that his bright musket had been stolen, 
and that a foul and rusty one had been put 
into its place. 

He told the captain of his loss, and gave 
him a mark by which his gun might be 
known. That evening it was found in the 
hands of a fellow-cadet who had stolen it 
and then told a falsehood to shield himself 
from punishment. 

Jackson had been angry because of his 
musket, but now he was deeply vexed at the 



30 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON- 

falsehood, and asked that the cadet should 
be sent away, as he was unfit to remain at 
the academy. The friends of the boy at 
last prevailed upon him to waive his right of 
pressing the charge, and the erring cadet was 
let alone. Not long after, the cadet again 
broke the rules of the school and was sent 
away in disgrace. 

From this we see that Jackson had at 
that time a hatred of all that was low and 
wicked. 

He now wrote, in a blank book, a number 
of maxims as rules for his life. They 
touched on morals, manners, dress, the 
choice of friends, and the aims of life. One 
of these rules every boy should keep in mind. 
It was this : 

''You may be whatever you resolve to be." 

We shall see that this was indeed the 
guiding star of his life. Whatever he willed to 
do he always did by sheer force of endeavor. 

At this time it is plain that it was his 
purpose to place his name high up on the 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 31 

roll of earthly honor. Beneath his shy and 
modest manners, there burned the wish to be 
truly great. His life was not yet ruled by 
love of Christ, but it shows some of the 
highest and noblest aims. 

Jackson was twenty-two years old when 
he left West Point, June 30, 1846. He 
then took the rank of second lieutenant of 
artillery in the United States army. The 
artillery is that branch of an army which 
fights with cannon, or big guns. At that 
time a war was going on between the United 
States and Mexico. General Scott was then 
going to the seat of war to take the chief 
command of the army of the United States ; 
and Jackson, the young lieutenant, was sent 
to join him in the south of Mexico. 



Ca-det' (ka-det'), a military pupil. 
Warrant (wor'-rant) , a certificate. 
Max'-im (maks-im), a wise saying. 
Mor'als (mor-als), conduct. 
Waive (wav), to give up. 



32 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Tell what you remember about — 
Jackson's going to West Point, 
His life at West Point. 
The cadet who stole his musket. 
The important maxim. 

His age and rank when he left West Point. 
The war which was going on at that time. 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



CHAPTER III. 
A Major of Artillery. 

On the 9th day of March, 1847, thirteen 
thousand five hundred troops were landed in 
one day from the American fleet upon the 
sea-shore near Vera Cruz (Ya-rii Kroos). 

This fine army, with its waving flags and 
bright guns, presented a scene of splendor 
which Lieutenant Jackson never forgot. 

General Scott's plan was to take the city 
of Vera Cruz by storm, and then march over 
the hills and valleys and lofty mountains to 
the City of Mexico. 

This was a hard task, and cost many lives, 
as I will show you. 

On the 13th of March, General Scott had 
placed his men all around the city of Yera 
Cruz and was ready for battle. On the 29th 
of March, after a fierce battle, the city was 




Bird's-Ei/e Vieir of City of Mexico. 



(34) 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 35 

taken by the Americans. This was the first 
battle in which our hero took part, and it is 
said that he fought bravely. 

From Yera Cruz, the army marched on 
until it came to a mountain, on the crest of 
which was the strong fort of Cerro Gordo 
(Ser'-ro Gor -do). Here, our troops were led 
by Captain Robert E. Lee, of the engineers, 
over a rough road planned by him, to the 
rear of the Mexicans. The Americans being 
in front of the Mexicans and also behind 
them, the latter were soon put to flight, 
leaving many men and guns on the battle- 
field. 

After this battle, Jackson was placed in 
the light artillery, which used small cannon 
and moved rapidly from i)lace to place. 

This change was just what young Jackson 
wished, for though more dangerous, the light 
artillery service gave him a better chance to 
win the honors for which his soul thirsted. 

Santa Anna, the general of the Mexicans, 
now brought forward another large army and 



36 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

placed it on the mountain heights of 
Cherubus'co. Here, a fierce fight took place, 
and the Mexicans were again driven back. 

As a reward for his brave conduct in this 
fight, our hero was given the brevet rank of 
captain of artillery. The army then marched 
on over the mountains to the strong castle 
of Chapultepec ( Cha-pool'-ta-pek' ) . This cas- 
tle was built upon a high hill guarding the 
plain which led to the City of Mexico. The 
level plain at the foot of the mountain was 
covered with crops of corn and other grain, 
and with groves of trees. Here and there 
were deep and wide ditches which the farm- 
ers had dug for drains. These ditches the 
artillery and horsemen could not cross; in 
fact, the growing crops so concealed them 
that the men could not see them until they 
had reached their brinks. 

Within the castle of Chapultepec were 
swarms of Mexican soldiers, while around its 
base were cannon, so placed as to sweep 
every road that led up to it. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 37 

On the ISth of September the assault was 
made on three sides at the same time. Jack- 
son was sent with his men and guns to the 
northwest side. Two regiments of infantry, 
or footmen, marched with him. 

They pushed forward, pouring shot and 
shell at the foe, until they were quite close 
to their guns, and at so short a range that 
Jackson in a few moments found a number 
of his horses killed and his men struck down 
or scattered by the storm of grapeshot. 

Just at this time, General Worth, seeing 
how closely Jackson was pressed, sent him 
word to fall back. Jackson, however, replied 
that if General Worth would send him fifty 
more men he would march forward and take 
the guns which had done such deadly work. 

While the troops were coming up, it is said 
that Jackson lifted a gun by hand across a 
deep ditch, and began to fire upon the Mexi- 
cans with the help of only one man, the rest 
of his command being either killed, wounded, 
or hidden in the ditch. 




Jackson moving cannon across a ditcJi. 



(38) 



TEE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON: 39 

Soon another cannon was moved across 
the ditch, and in a few moments the foe 
was driven back by the rapid firing of these 
two guns. 

By this time, the men storming the castle 
on the other two sides had fought their way 
in, and the Mexicans began to fall back 
upon the City of Mexico. 

Orders had been given that when this 
move took place, the artillery must move for- 
ward rapidly and scatter the ranks of the foe. 
In an instant Jackson's guns were thunder- 
ing after the Mexicans, fleeing through the 
gates into the city. 

The next morning, September 14th, the 
gates were forced and the Americans marched 
into the city of Mexico. 

For his brave conduct in the battle of 
Chapultepec, Jackson was raised to the rank 
of major.' 

In after years, when he was modestly tell- 
ing of this battle, a young man cried out, 
''Major, why did you not run when so many 



40 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSOK 



of your men and horses were killed?" He 
replied, with a quiet smile, "I was not 
ordered to do so. If I had been ordered to 
run I should have done so." 




T. J. Jackson at the age of twenty-four. 

Once, when asked by a friend if he felt no 
fear when so many were falling around him, 
he said that he felt only a great desire to 
perform some brave deed that would win for 
him lasting fame. At that time, his thoughts 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 41 

were chiefly fixed upon the faithful perform- 
ance of his duty, and gaining honor and 
distinction thereby. 

In the beautiful City of Mexico, the Ameri- 
can army now rested from warfare. Some 
months passed before Jackson's command 
was ordered home. His duties being light, 
he began the study of the Spanish language, 
and was soon able to speak it well. He 
greatly enjoyed the fine climate of Mexico, and 
admired the beauty and grace of her women. 

For the first time in his life, he began to 
think of religion and to study the Bible in 
search of the truth. 

On May 26th, 1848, a treaty of peace was 
made between the United States and Mexico, 
and the war being over, the American troops 
were sent home. 

Major Jackson's command was sent to 
Fort Hamilton, about seven miles from the 
city of New York. While there, he was bap- 
tized and admitted to his first communion 
in the Episcopal Church. 



42 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

After he had been at Fort Hamilton two 
years, Majjor Jackson was sent to Fort 
Meade, near Tampa Bay, on the west coast 
of Florida. While at this place, on the 28th 
of March, 1851, he was elected professor of 
natural and experimental philosophy and 
artillery tactics in the Military Institute at 
Lexington, Virginia. 



Bre-vet', a commission which gives an officer a 
rank above his pay. 

As-sault', an attack, a violent onset. 
Cll'mate, the prevailing state with regard to 
heat and cold, &c. 
What do you remember about — 

The landing of troops at Vera Cruz ? 

The assault upon the castle of Chapultepec ? 

The taking of the City of Mexico by the 

Americans ? 
The new rank of Jackson ? 
His life in the City of Mexico ? 
What he once said about running ? 
What happened at Fort Hamilton ? 
The position which he accepted March 27th, 
1851 ? 



TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



4? 



CHAPTER lY. 

A Professor. 

In writing of Major Jackson as a pro- 
fessor, it seems highly appropriate to mention 




Entrance to thr Vinjinia Military T/i.stiti/fi' (irajuKJx. 

the circumstances leading to his appointment 
to that position. 

Reared in adverse circumstances, which 
prevented him in early youth from receiving 
the benefits of a good common-school educa- 



44 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

tion, by his own efforts, mainly, he fitted 
himself to enter the United States Military 
Academy at West Point, and his first year's 
course would have discouraged him in prose- 
cuting his studies had he not been conscious 
that there was that within, which, if properly 
nurtured, would lead to ultimate success. 
In his second year, he raised Ins general 
standing from 51 to 30; in the third, from 
30 to 20, and in the fourth, his graduating 
year, from 20 to 17. His upward progress 
attracted attention, and one of his associates 
remarked: "Had Jackson remained at West 
Point upon a course of four years' longer 
study, he would have reached the head of his 
class." 

His advancement in the Mexican war, 
rising rapidly from brevet second lieutenant 
of artillery to brevet major, was no less 
marked than that at the academy, and his 
gallant and meritorious services had been 
heralded to the world through the official 
reports of his superiors. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 45 

General Francis H. Smith, superintendent 
of the Yii;ginia Military Institute, in "Insti- 
tute Memorial," writes: 

"It is not surprising that, when the Board 
of Visitors of the Virginia Military Institute 
were looking about for a suitable person to 
till the chair of Natural and Experimental 
Philosophy and Artillery, the associates of 
this young and brave major of artillery 
should have pointed him out as worthy to 
receive so distinguished an honor. Other 
names had been submitted to the Board of 
Visitors by the Faculty of West Point, all of 
men distinguished for high scholarship and 
for gallant services in Mexico. McClellan, 
Reno, Rosecrans, afterward generals in the 
Northern army, and G. W. Smith, who after- 
ward became a general in the Confederate 
army, were thus named. But the peculiar 
fitness of young Jackson, the high testi- 
monials to his personal character, and his 
nati\dty as a Virginian, satisfied the Board 
that they might safely select him for the 



46 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

vacant chair without seeking candidates 
from other States. He was, therefore, unani- 
mously elected to the professorship on the 
28th of March, 1851, and entered upon the 
duties of his chair on the 1st of September 
following. 

"The professorial career of ^lajor Jackson 
was marked by great faithfulness, and by an 
unobtrusive, yet earnest spirit. With high 
mental endowments, teach in;/ was a new pro- 
fession to him, and demanded, in the impor- 
tant department of instruction assigned to 
him, an amount of labor which, from the 
state of his healtli, and especially from the 
weakness of his eyes, he rendered at great 
sacrifice. 

"Conscientious fidelity to duty marked 
every step of his life here, and when called 
to active duty in the field he had made con- 
siderable progress in the prei)aration of an 
elementary work on optics, which he pro- 
posed to publish for the benefit of his classes. 

"Strict, and at times stern, in his disci- 




Virginia Military Institute Barracks {fore-shortened). 



(47) 



48 THE LIFE OF GEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

pline, though ever polite and kind, he was not 
always a popular professor ; but no professor 
ever possessed to a higher degree the confi- 
dence and respect of the cadets for his 
unbending integrity and fearlessness in the 
discharge of his duty. If he was exact in 
his demands upon them, they knew he was 
no less so in his own resiject for and sub- 
mission to authority ; and, thus, it became a 
proverb among them, that it was useless to 
write an excuse for a report made by Major 
Jackson. His great principle of government 
was, that a general rule should not be violated 
for any jxirtieular good ; and his animating 
rule of action was, that a man eoidd ahvays 
accomplish what he tvilled to perform. 

' ' Punctual to a minute, I have known him 
to walk in front of the superintendent's 
quarters in a hard rain, because the hour had 
not quite arrived when it was his duty to 
present his weekly class reports. 

"For ten years, he prosecuted his unwearied 
labors as a professor, making during this 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 49 

period, in no questionable form, such an 
impress upon those who from time to time 
were under his command, that, when the 
war broke out, the spontaneous sentiment of 
all cadets and graduates was, to serve under 
him as their leader.^ ^ 

An incident is related by General Smith 
in the same work, which shows clearly how 
Jackson was looked upon in the commimity 
in which he resided : 

"He left the Virginia Military Institute 
on the 21st of April, 1861, in command of 
the corps of cadets, and reported for duty 
at Camp Lee, Richmond. Dangers were 
thickening rapidly around the State. Inva- 
sion by overwhelming numbers seemed immi- 
nent. Norfolk, Richmond, Alexandria, and 
Harper's Ferry were threatened. Officers 
were needed to command at these points. 
The Governor of Virginia nominated Major 
Jackson as a colonel of volunteers. His 
nomination was immediately and unani- 
mously confirmed by the Council of State, 



60 IHE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

and sent to the Convention then in session. 
Some prejudice existed in that body from 
the supposed influence of the Virginia Mili- 
tary Institute in these appointments, and 
the question was asked by various members, 
' Who is this Thomas J. Jackson ' ? A member 
of the Convention from the county of Rock- 
bridge, Hon. S. McDowell Moore, replied: 
* I can tell you who he is. If yon put Jack- 
son in coniinand at Norfolk, lie ivUl never 
leave it alive unless you order him to do so.^ 
Such was the impress made upon his neigh- 
bors and friends in his quiet life as a pro- 
fessor at the Military Institute." 

In accepting the i^osition of professor, he 
was again stepping higher. In active war- 
fare an officer may advance rapidly, but in 
times of peace he lives (piietly at a military 
post and simply rusts out. Ill-health, brought 
on mainly by exposure in the Mexican War, 
caused Major Jackson to resign his commis- 
sion in the army; but in all probability, had 
this not been the case he would have aban- 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 51 

doned army life, because he felt that by 
close study and application, he could reach 
a much higher degree of mental excellence 
than he had attained ; and the position of 
professor would enable him to do this, for he 
knew that the best way to learn was to 
teach. 

In consequence of the weakness of his 
eyes, his great will-power had now to be 
exerted to the utmost, l)ecause he could not 
use his eyes at night. In order to do himself 
and his classes justice, each morning after 
class hours, he would carefully read over the 
lessons for the next day, and, at night after 
his simple supper, he would quietly sit with 
his face to the wall and go over in his mind 
the lessons read that day. In this way he 
made them his own, and was prepared to 
teach the next day. This training was of 
great use to him in his after life as a soldier. 
The power of his mind was such that while 
riding, in later years, at the head of his army, 
he could study the movements of the foe, and 



52 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

plan his own with as much care and skill as 
in the quiet of his study at home. 

The statement made by General Smith 
respecting the desire of the cadets to serve 
under Major Jackson in the war shows how 
popular he was, and this estimate of his 
powers could have been produced only by 
their knowledge of his great worth. 

"Old Jack" was the name given to the 
Major by the cadets, but it was never used 
derisively. Pranks were played in Major 
Jackson's section room by the cadets, but 
more for their own amusement than for any 
other purpose. They well knew the conse- 
quences if caught, but were willing to run 
the risk for the sake of fun. 

Cadet Abe Fulkerson once wore a collar 
made out of three fourths of a yard of linen, 
(for no other purpose than to produce a laugh) 
and it made even "Old Jack" laugh — that 
is, smile, which he would not have done if 
the size, shape, or color of collars had been 
fixed by the Institute regulations. 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 53 

Cadet Davidson Penn, with an uncom- 
monly solemn face and apparently in good 
faith, once asked Major Jackson, "Major, can 
a cannon be so bent as to make it shoot 
around a corner?" The Major showed not 
the slightest sign of impatience or of merri- 
ment, but after a moment of apparently 
sober thought, replied, "Mr. Penn, I reckon 
hardly." 

It has been said that Major Jackson never 
smiled or laughed. It has just been shown 
that he smiled 07ice, and there is no doubt 
but that if he could have been seen when he 
read the excuse mentioned below, not only 
would another smile have been seen, but a 
good, hearty laugh heard. At artillery drill 
one evening Major Jackson had given the 
command, "Limbers and caissons pass your 
pieces, trot, march ! " Cadet Hambrick failed 
to trot at command and was reported. The 
next day the following excuse was handed 
in: Report, "Cadet Hambrick not trotting 
at artillery drill." Excuse, "I am a natural 



54 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



pacer." These three incidents are recounted 
by Dr. J. C. Hiden, of Richmond, Virginia. 

Cadet Thos. B. Amiss, who was afterwards 
surgeon of one of Jackson's Georgian regi- 




Virginia Military Institute. 



ments, tried a prank for the double purpose 
of evading a recitation and creating a laugh. 
He was squad-marcher of his section, and 
after calling the roll and making his report 
to the officer of the day, he turned the sec- 
tion over to the next man on the roll, took his 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 55 

place in ranks, and cautioned the new squad- 
marcher not to report him absent. While 
the squad-marcher was making his report 
to Major Jackson whose eyes seemed always 
riveted to his class-book when this was be- 
ing done, Amiss noiselessly climbed to the 
top of a column that stood nearly in the 
center of the room. Having received the 
report. Major Jackson commenced to call the 
names of those whom he wished to recite 
at the board, commencing with Amiss; not 
hearing Amiss respond, he asked, "Mr. 
Amiss absent?" The squad-marcher re- 
plied, '*No, sir." The Major looked steadily 
along the line of faces, seemed perplexed 
and cast his eyes upwards, when he spied 
the delinquent at the top of the column. 
The Major, for a moment, gazed at the 
clinging hgure and said, "You stay there," 
and Amiss had to remain where he was 
until the recitation was over. He was 
reported, court-martialed, received the maxi- 
mum number of demerits, and had a large 



56 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

number of extra tours of guard duty as- 
signed iiim, during the walking of which 
in the lone hours of the night, he had am- 
ple time to repent of his folly. 

When the class that graduated in 1860 
commenced its recitations under Major Jack- 
son, a sudden end was made to all kinds of 
merriment in his class-room. A member of 
the class, who is now a member of Congress 
from Virginia, concealed a small music-box 
under his coatee and carried it into the 
class-room. After the recitation had com- 
menced he touched a spring and the room 
was filled with sweet, mufiled strains of 
music. Major Jackson did not hear, or if 
he did, took no notice of it. The cadet, find- 
ing that his music was not duly appreciated, 
commenced to bark, in very low tones, like a 
puppy, and this meeting with the same fate 
as the music he became emboldened and 
barked louder. Major Jackson, without 
changing his countenance, turning his head, 
or raising his voice above an ordinary tone, 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 57 

said, "Mr. C, when you march the seeuon 
in again, please leave that puppy outside." 
The laugh was on the young cadet, and the 
result stated followed. 

The following incident illustrates clearly 
how regardless Major Jackson was of public 
opinion or personal feeling when in conflict 
with duty. A young cadet was dismissed 
through a circumstance that occurred in 
Major Jackson's class-room, and he became 
so enraged that he challenged the Major to 
fight a duel, and sent him word that if he 
would not fight he would kill him on sight. 
Major Jackson, actuated solely by conscien- 
tious motives, took the necessary precautions 
to prevent a conflict, and informed the young 
man, through his friends, that if he were 
attacked he would defend himself. The 
attack was not made, notwithstanding the 
fact that the Major passed back and forth as 
usual. This cadet, during the Civil War, 
learned to know Major Jackson better, was 
under his command, and before the close of 



68 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

the war commanded the "Stonewall Bri- 
gade," which was rendered 80 famous by 
Jackson ; and in later years, when asked his 
opinion of this great man, said that he was 
the only man ever born who had never been 
whipped. 

Major Jackson seemed to enjoy the duty 
of drilling the artillery battery more than 
any other duty he had to perform, and it 
was natural that he should, for he had won 
fame as an artillery officer in the Mexican 
War. 

Near the close of every session of the In- 
stitute, Major Jackson was required to drill 
the battery before the Board of Visitors ; and 
in order to make it more interesting to the 
public, always present in large crowds, blank 
cartridges were fired, and the drill had really 
the semblance of a battery in actual battle. 
An impressive scene was witnessed at this 
drill in 1860. It commenced at 5 P. M. 
Major Jackson had put the battery through 
its various evolutions, and as the time ap- 




i59) 



60 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

proached for the firing to commence, seemed 
more and more interested in his work. His 
old professor of engineering at West Point, 
Dennis Mahan, and the commandant of cadets 
of that institution. Colonel Hardee, witnessed 
the drill. Ever since the commencement of 
the evolutions, a dark cloud had been gather- 
ing in the west and the rumbling of thunder 
could be heard. The firing commenced and 
all was excitement. Closer and closer came 
the cloud, and the artillery of heaven seemed 
replying to the discharges of the battery. 
Major Jackson had been slowly retreating 
before the imaginary foe, firing by half bat- 
tery. The cloud came nearer and nearer, 
unheeded by Jackson. Suddenly his voice 
rang clear and sharp, "Fire advancing 
by half battery" — the foe were retreating — 
"right-half battery advance, commence 
firing!" IS'ew positions were rapidly taken, 
and the firing was at its height. Then the 
storm broke in all its fury. Up to that time 
the Major had seemed oblivious to all save 



■THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 61 

the drill. The bursting storm brought him 
to himself and he dismissed the battery, 
which at once went to shelter. Major Jack- 
son remained where he was, folded his arms 
and stood like a statue in the driving storm. 
An umbrella was sent him from a house 
close by with an invitation to come to cover. 
He replied, "No, thank you;" and there he 
stood until the storm was over, doubtless 
thinking of the hard-fought fields of Mexico 
and the havoc he had there wrought. 

In November, 1851, Major Jackson con- 
nected himself with the Presbyterian church 
at Lexington, then in charge of the Rev. Dr. 
W. S. White. It now seemed his chief 
desire to do good. He was made a deacon 
and given a class of young men in the Sun- 
day school. Some of them still live and 
remember how faithfully he taught them. 
He also gathered together the African slaves 
of the town every Sabbath evening for the 
purpose of teaching them the truths of the 
Bible. He soon had a school of eighty or a 



62 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

hundred pupils and twelve teachers. This 
school he kept up from 1855 to 1861, when 
he left Lexington to enter the army; and 
until his death it was always a great pleasure 
to him to hear of his black Sunday school. 

Duty became now more than ever the 
rule of his life — duty to God and duty to 
man. So great was his regard for the Sab- 
bath that he would not even read a letter, 
or mail one which he knew would be carried 
on that day. 

The Rev. R. L. Dabney tells us that one 
Sabbath, when a dear friend, who knew that 
the Major had received a letter from his lady- 
love late on Saturday night, asked, as they 
were walking to church, "Major, surely you 
have read your letter? " " Certainly not, ' ' said 
he. ' ' What obstinacy ! ' ^ exclaimed his friend. 
"Do you not think that your desire to know 
its contents will distract your mind from 
divine worship far more than if you had 
done with reading it?" "No," answered 
he, quietly, "1 shall make the most faithful 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 63 

effort I can to control my thoughts, and as I 
do this from a sense of duty, I shall expect 
the divine blessing upon it." 

When a single man, he made it a rule to 
accept, if possible, all invitations, saying 
that when a friend had taken the trouble to 
invite him it was his duty to attend. 

Major Gittings, once a cadet, and a rela- 
tive of Major Jackson, says : "Speaking from 
a social standpoint, no man ever had a more 
delicate regard for the feelings of others than 
he, and nothing would embarrass him more 
than any contretemps that might occur to 
cause pain or distress of mind to others. 
Hence, he was truly a polite man, and while 
his manner was often constrained, and even 
awkward, yet he would usually make a 
favorable impression, through his desire to 
please." 

When Major Jackson first came to Lexing- 
ton he was in ill-health, and many things he 
did were looked upon as odd, which were 
really not so. He had been at a famous 



64 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



water-cure hospital in the North, and had 
been ordered to live on stale bread and but- 
termilk and to wear a wet shirt next to his 




Major Jackson's Home in Lexington. 

body. He was also advised to go to bed at 
9 o'clock. If that hour found him at a party 
or lecture, or any other place, in order to 
obey his physician, he would leave. 

The dyspepsia with which he suffered 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 65 

often caused drowsiness, and he would some- 
times go to sleep while talking to a friend 
or while sitting in his pew at church. 

General Hill says of him: "I have seen 
his head bowed down to his very knees 
during a good part of the sermon. He 
always heard the text of our good pastor, 
the Rev. Dr. White, and the first part of 
the sermon, but after that all was lost." 
Before leaving Lexington, he seemed to have 
gained complete control over his muscles, 
even w^hile asleep, for no one, in the few 
years preceding his departure, ever saw "his 
head and his knees in contact," but it was 
a common thing to see him sound asleep 
while sitting perfectly upright. 

Before marriage, Major Jackson had his 
room in barracks, but took his meals at a 
hotel in Lexington, and it has been said by 
some that his eccentricities caused much 
comment ; more than that, he was laughed at 
and insulted by rude, coarse persons. This 
could hardly have been true, for an insult 



66 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

offered to ''Old Jack" would certainly have 
been found out in some way, and if not re- 
sented personally, it would have been by the 
cadets to a man. One who lived in Lexington 
during four years of Major Jackson's resi- 
dence there, and more than a quarter of a 
century after the war, never heard of these 
insults, and, surely, had they ever been given 
they would have been talked of, for Jackson's 
name was on every tongue, and the incidents 
of his life, from boyhood to death, were 
almost a constant subject of conversation. 

Though Major Jackson was very modest, 
no man ever relied more fully upon himself. 
Mentioning one day to a friend that he was 
going to begin the study of Latin, he received 
the reply that one who had not studied the 
forms of that language in youth could never 
become master of it in later years. To this 
Jackson replied, "No; if I attempt it, I shall 
become master of the language. / can do 
tvhat I will to do.^^ 

This stern will-power came to the aid of 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 67 

his ambition many times. He found it dif- 
ficult to speak in public, and in order to ac- 
quire the art, he joined a literary club called 
the "Franklin Society." He was always at 
the meetings, and spoke in his turn ; but, at 
first, his efforts were painful both to himself 
and to his hearers. His health was poor, his 
nerves were unstrung, and sometimes he was 
so confused that he would break down in the 
middle of a sentence for want of the right 
word. When this happened, he would quietly 
sit down, and when his turn in the debate 
came again would rise and make another at- 
tempt. Thus, before the close of the debate, 
he would succeed in telling what was in his 
mind. By thus trying time after time, he be- 
came a good speaker. 

Soon after joining the Presbyterian church, 
good Dr. White, his pastor, called upon him 
to pray in public. He prayed in such a 
halting way that Dr. White told him that he 
would never again ask him to perform so 
hard a task. Major Jackson replied that it 



68 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

was a cross to him to pray in public, but 
that he had made up his mind to bear it, 
and did not wish to be excused. So he kept 
on trying, and soon became a leader in 
prayer. 

General Hill, speaking of this incident, 
says: "I think his conduct in this case was 
due to his determination to conquer every 
weakness of his nature. He once told me 
that when he was a small boy, being sick, a 
mustard plaster was placed upon his chest, 
and his guardian mounted him upon a horse 
to go to a neighbor's house, so that his mind 
might be diverted and the plaster kept on. 
He said that the pain was so dreadful that 
he fainted soon after getting off his horse. 
I asked him if he had kept it on in order to 
obey his guardian. He answered, 'No, it 
was owing to a feeling that I have had from 
childhood not to yield to trials and diffi- 
culties.' " 

The same close friend also writes: "Dr. 
Dabney thinks that he was timid, and that 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 69 

nothing but his iron will made him brave. 
I think this is a mistake. The muscles of 
his face would twitch when a battle was 
about to open, and his hand would tremble 
so that he could hardly write. His men 
would see the working of his face and would 
say, ' Old Jack is making faces at the Yan- 
kees.' But all this only showed weak nerves. 
I think he loved danger for its own sake." 

Like St. Paul, "he kept his body under," 
and would not let any appetite control him or 
any weakness overcome him. He used neither 
coffee, tobacco, nor spirits, and he would go 
all winter without cloak or overcoat in the 
mountains of Virginia, giving as a reason 
that he "did not wish to give way to cold." 

For a like reason, he never drank spirits 
of any kind. It is told of him that once 
during the Civil War, when he was too near 
the outposts of the foe to have fire, and 
being greatly chilled, he was advised by his 
surgeon to take a drink of brandy. He at 
length agreed to take some, but made such a 



70 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

wiy face in swallowing it that some one 
asked him if it choked him. "No,"* he re- 
plied, "I like it. That is the reason I never 
use it." Another time, being asked to take 
a drink of brandy, he said, "No, I thank 
von; I am more afraid of it than all the 
Federal bullets." 

The immortal Jackson afraid of strong 
drink! What a lesson to people who have 
not the courage to say "No," when tempted 
to do wrong! 

In the midst of this busy life as professor, 
Major Jackson was married, on August 4th, 
1853, to Miss Eleanor Junkin, the daughter 
of the president of Washington College, Lex- 
ington, Virginia. This lovely lady lived only 
fourteen months after her marriage. Major 
Jackson's grief at her death was so great as 
to alarm his friends. His health, never good, 
suffered seriously, and his fi'iends induced 
him in the sunnner of 1856 to take a trip 
to Europe, hoping that "the spell might be 
broken which bound him to sadness." 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 71 

His European trip benefited him very 
materially in health and spirits, and on his 
return he, with great zeal, resumed his 
labors in his classes at both the Military 
Institute and the Sunday School. 

He had started on his return trip in ample 
time to reach the Institute at its opening, 
September 1st, which he had promised to do; 
but storms had prevented this and he was 
behind time. 

A lady friend, knowing what a slave he 
was to his word, asked him if he had not 
been miserable at the delay. The answer 
was characteristic of the man. He had 
done his part, Providence had intervened, 
and he had not worried in the least. No 
man ever trusted Providence more implicitly 
than Jackson, and when he went to God in 
prayer he knew that his feet would be guided 
in the right way. 

Dr. Dabney tells us that one day, when a 
friend said that he could not understand 
how one could "pray without ceasing," Jack- 



73 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACK80K 

son replied that he had, for some time, been 
in the habit of praying all through the day. 
"When we take our meals," said he, "there 
is grace, and when I take a draught of water, 
I always pause to lift up my heart to God 
in thanks for the ' water of life ' ; and when 
I go to my class-room and await the coming 
of the cadets, that is my time to pray for 
them. And so with every other act of the 
day." Thus we see that Jackson was truly 
a "praying man." 

His pastor. Rev. Dr. White, once said that 
Major Jackson was the happiest man that 
he had ever known. This happiness came 
from his faith in the saving care of God. 

We are told that a friend once said to him, 
"Suppose you should lose your eyesight and 
then, too, be very ill, and have to depend on 
those bound to you by no tie, would not 
this be too much for your faith? Do you 
think you could be happy then?" He 
thought a moment and then said, "If it 
were the will of God to place me on a sick 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 73 

bed, He would enable me to lie there in 
peace a hundred years." 

Such was the faith of this great man! 
As he grew older his spirit became more 
saintly until, when called upon to go up 
higher to meet his Lord, his end seemed 
more like a passing over than a death. 

Major Jackson was married again, on July 
loth, 1857, to Mary Anna Morrison, the 
daughter of Dr. R. H. Morrison, a Presbyte- 
rian minister, of North Carolina. This lady 
is now living, and has quite lately written a 
life of her husband, in which she gives beau- 
tiful glimpses of their home life in Lexington, 
and also extracts from his letters written to 
her during the Civil War, of which 1 must 
so soon tell you. 

Shortly after his second marriage. Major 
Jackson bought a house and a few acres of 
land, and soon all of his spare time was 
spent in working in his garden and fields. 

We are told that his little farm of rocky 
hill-land was soon well fenced and tilled, and 

6 



74 



TEE LIFE OF ^EK THOMAS J. JAGKSOK 



that he used to say that the bread grown 

there by the labor of himself and slaves 

tasted sweeter than that which was bought. 

He liked to have his friends visit him, and 




Mrs. T. J. Jackson in 1899. 



nowhere else was he so easy and happy as 
with his guests at his own table. 

In his home, military sternness left his 
brow and the law of love took its place. 

This story is told of him, which shows how 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 75 

gentle and tender a soldier may be. ' ' Once 
a friend, who was taking his little four-year- 
old girl on a journey without her mother, 
called on the way to spend the night with 
Major Jackson. At bed-time, when Mrs. 
Jackson wished to take the child to her 
room for the night, the father replied that 
his little one would give less trouble if he 
kept her with him. In the still watches of 
the night, he heard a soft step, and felt a 
hand laid upon his bed. It was Major Jack- 
son, who, fearing that the little girl would 
toss off the covering, had come to see that 
all was safe." 

This good and peaceful life at Lexington 
was short. The black cloud of war was 
hovering over our land and ere long the 
storm burst in great fury, sweeping Major 
Jackson away from his quiet life, his prof- 
essorial duties, and his loved wife and 
friends, into the midst of carnage and death, 
and to deeds that made his fame world-wide 
and immortal. 



76 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Major Jackson had but one more duty lo 
perform as a professor and officer of the Vir- 
ginia Military Institute. He had been left 
in charge of the corps of cadets when the 
superintendent had been called to Richmond. 
Early on the morning of Sunday, April 21st, 
1861, an order was received by Major Jack- 
son from Governor John Letcher, directing 
him to leave with his command for Rich- 
mond at 12:30 P. M. that day. Major 
Jackson's arrangements were promptly made, 
and he sent a request to his pastor, good 
Dr. White, to come to the Institute and hold 
religious services for the young men prior to 
their departure. These services were held 
in front of the barracks. The battalion was 
drawn up in line of battle. Major Jackson 
at the head and venerable Dr. White in the 
front and center. All, with bowed heads, 
were devoutly listening to the invocations 
speeding heavenward. The clock in the 
Institute tower gave the signal for departure. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 77 

and, without a moment's pause, Jackson took 
up the line of march and left his beloved 
pastor praying. 

The key-note of his great success as a sol- 
dier was prompt obedience to orders and 
requiring the same of others. 



Me-mo'ri-al, something- designed to keep in 
remembrance a person, place, or event. 

Fac'ul-ty, the body of instructors in a school. 
Prof-es-so'ri-al, pertaining to a professor. 
Coat-ee' (co-te'), a short military coat. 
Con'sci-en'-tious, governed by conscience. 
Ob'sti-na-cy, stubbornness. 
Tell about — 

Major Jackson's appointment as professor in 

the Virginia Military Institute. 
His reasons for resigning his position in the 

army and accepting a professorship. 
His life at the Institute. 
His method of studying. 
His Sunday school for negroes. 
His strict observance of the Sabbath. 
His home life. 



78 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

CHAPTER V. 
A Confederate Colonel. 

Before going on with the life of our hero, 
I must tell you, in a few plain and truthful 
words, the causes of the Civil War which in 
1861 broke out between the States. 

You remember that, after the Revolution- 
ary War, the thirteen colonies agreed to form 
a Union, and adopted a set of laws called the 
Constitution of the United States. 

From the very first, however, the States 
did not agree; in fact, laws which suited 
one section did not suit the other, so that 
there was always some cause for a quarrel. 

At last, the question of slavery seemed to 
give the most trouble. You have been told 
that African slaves were first brought to Vir- 
ginia in 1619 by the Dutch, and that after- 
wards English and Northern traders brought 
others, until all of the colonies held slaves. 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 79 

But the cold climate of the North did not 
suit the negroes, who had been used to the 
hot sun of Africa. So, by degrees, they 
were sold to Southern planters, who put 
them to work in cotton and tobacco fields. 

In the sunny South the blacks throve 
well, and in 1861 numbered about four mil- > 
lions. ^' • ^i^ '^ *■ 

Having sold their slaves to Southern .^^ ju^ 
planters, some of the people at the North 
and West began to think that it was a sin to 
hold the negroes in bondage, and began to 
make laws hurtful to the people at the South. 
They insisted that slaves should not be 
brought into the new States as they came 
into the Union ; while the South demanded 
that a slave-holder should be free to move 
from one State into another with all his 
property, just as a Northern man could do. 

Southern people also believed that the 
negroes were the happiest and best cared for 
working people in the world, and that the 
North was trespassing upon their just rights. 






80 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

So the quarrel went on until October, 1859, 
when an event happened in Virginia which 
greatly increased the hatred of both parties. 
A man named John Brown laid a plot for 
freeing the negroes, first in Virginia and 
then in the whole South. 

For two years, he sent men through the 
South secretly to stir up the negroes and incite 
them to kill the whites. He bought long 
iron pikes for the negroes to light with, as 
they did not know how to use fire-arms. 

When he thought that all was ready, he 
entered Harper's Ferry by night, with only 
eighteen men, and seized the arsenal there, 
sending out armed men into the country to 
capture the principal slave-owners and to 
call upon the slaves to join him. This was 
done secretly during the night, and the next 
morning every white man who left his home 
was seized, and imprisoned in an engine- 
house near the arsenal. Only a few negroes 
came in, and they were too much scared to 
aid in the deadly and dastardly work. 



TEE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



81 



As soon as the news of this raid spread 
over the country, angry men came into town 
from all sides, and before night John Brown 
and his men were shut up in the engine- 
house. 




Harper's Ferry, Virr/inia. 

Soon a band of marines, under the com- 
mand of Colonel R. E. Lee, was sent out 
from Washington by the Government, and 
as John Brown v/ould not surrender, the 
soldiers at once stormed the engine-house. 



82 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Ten of John Brown's men were killed by the 
soldiers, and all the rest, including Brown 
himself, were wounded. Six of the storm- 
ing party were killed and nine wounded. 
John Brown and seven of his men were 
brought to trial at Charles Town, Virginia, 
and being found guilty of treason, were 
hung. 

The cadets of the Virginia Military Insti- 
tute were ordered to Charles Town to protect 
the officers of the law. Major Jackson com- 
manded a section of light artillery accom- 
panying the battalion, and was present at 
the death of Brown. He afterwards gave 
his friends a graphic account of this dread- 
ful scene. 

This event cast great gloom over the 
country. Many persons at the North thought 
that John Brown had died a martyr to the 
cause of slavery, while the people at the 
South saw that they could no longer enjoy 
in peace and safety the rights granted to 
them by the Constitution. 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 83 

Major Jackson was truly Southern in feel- 
ing. He believed in the "Rights of States" 
and also that the South ought to take her 
stand and resent all efforts to coerce and 
crush her. He, however, dreaded war and 
thought it the duty of Christians throughout 
the land to pray for peace. 

A month before South Carolina went out 
of the Union, Major Jackson called upon his 
pastor, Dr. White, and said : " It is painful to 
know how carelessly they speak of war. If the 
Government insists upon the measures now 
threatened, there must be war. They seem 
not to know what its horrors are. Let us 
have meetings to pray for peace." Dr. White 
agreed to his request, and the burden of 
Major Jackson's prayer was that God would 
preserve the land from war. 

After the election of Mr. Lincoln, in No- 
vember, I860, to be President of the United 
States, the Southern States saw no hopes of 
getting their rights and resolved to secede, 
or withdraw from the Union of the States. 



84 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

South Carolina took the lead and seceded 
on the 20th of December, 1860. She was 
quickly followed by Mississippi, Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. 

On the 9th of January, 1861, these States 
united and at Montgomery, in Alabama, 
formed a government called "The Confeder- 
ate States of America," with Jefferson Davis 
as President. 

Virginia was slow to withdraw from the 
Union formed by the States ; but, when Presi- 
dent Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand 
soldiers to invade the Southern States, she 
delayed no longer. On April 17th, 1861, she 
seceded and began to prepare for war. 

"In one week," says Dabney, "the whole 
State was changed into a camp." The sons 
of Virginia rushed to arms, and soon the 
city of Richmond was filled with men drill- 
ing and preparing to fight. 

At daybreak on Sunday morning, April 
21st, 1861, an order came to Lexington from 
the Governor of the State (Governor Letcher) 



H 




(85) 



86 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

to march the cadets that day to Richmond. 
As the senior officers were ah-eady in Rich- 
mond, Major Jackson at once prepared to go 
forward with his corps. 

At eleven o'clock A. M. he went to his 
home to say good-bye to his wife. They 
retired to their own room, where he read the 
5th chapter of Second Corinthians, which 
begins with these beautiful words: "For we 
know, if our earthly house of this tabernacle 
be dissolved, we have a building of God, an 
house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens." 

He then knelt and prayed for themselves 
and for their dear country, imploring God 
that it might be His holy will to avert war 
and bloodshed. He then said good-bye to 
his wife and left his dear home, never more 
to return to it. After a few days, his wife 
went to live at the home of a friend — his 
house was closed. 

Major Jackson and the cadets marched 
forward to Staunton, whence they went by 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 87 

train to Richmond, and at once went into 
camp on the Fair-Grrounds. 

From Richmond, Major Jackson wrote 
thus to his wife: ''Colonel Lee, of the army, 
is here and has been made Major-General of 
the Virginia troops. I regard him a better 
officer than General Scott." 

After a few days, on April 21st, Major Jack- 
son was made colonel of the Virginia forces 
and ordered to take command at Harper's 
Ferry, a town on the Potomac river where 
the United States Government had had a 
great number of workshops and fire-arms. 
This important place had already been cap- 
tured by Virginia troops, and it was necessary 
to hold it until the arms and machinery could 
be moved away. 

Just here it may be well to give you a 
word-picture of our hero as he began a career 
which was to fill the world with his fame. 

Jackson was tall and very erect, with large 
hands and feet. His brow was fair and 
broad; his eyes were blue placid and clear 




Colonel Thomas J Jackson. 



(88) 



TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 89 

when their owner was calm, but dark and 
flashing when he was aroused. His nose 
was Roman, his cheeks ruddy, his mouth 
firm, and his chin covered with a brown 
beard. His step was long and rapid, and if 
he was not a graceful rider, he was a fearless 



7. 




^.^^^.^U^U^ C^f^^i^a^ ^^-i^-w-*.,*-*/ 




one. In battle, or as he rode along his col- 
umns, hat in hand, bowing right and left to 
his soldiers, whose shouts arose on high, no 
figure could be nobler than his. Few, even 
of his intimate friends, were conscious of his 
military genius, so he burst upon the world 
as a meteor darts across a star-lit sky. 



90 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON, 

On his way to Harper's Ferry, he wrote 
thus to his dear wife : 

"Winchester, April 29th, 1861. 

"I expect to leave here about two P. M. to-day 
for Harper's Ferry. I am thankful to say that an 
ever-kind Providence, who causes 'all things to 
work together for good to them that love Him,' 
has given me the post which I prefer above all 
others. To His name be all" the praise. '^ * * 
You must not expect to hear from me very often, 
as I shall have more work than I have ever had 
in the same time before ; but don't be troubled 
about me, as an ever-kind Heavenly Father will 
give me all needful aid," 

"This letter," says a friend, "gives a true 
idea of his character. He feels within him- 
self the genius and power which make him 
long to have a sei:)arate command; but he 
also feels the need of resting upon his Heav- 
enly Father for aid and support." 

Colonel Jackson had been ordered by Major- 
General Lee to organize and drill the men 
who had gathered at Harper's Ferry and to 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 91 

hold the place as long as possible against 
the foe. 

He went to work with great zeal and, aided 
by Colonel Mamy and Major Preston, soon 
had the men organized into companies and 
regiments. As Colonel Jackson was known 
to have been a brave soldier in the Mexican 
War, he was readily obeyed by the soldiers 
in his little army, which soon numbered 
forty-five hundred men. 

But on the 2nd of May, Virginia joined the 
Southern Confederacy and handed over all of 
her soldiers to that government, which bound 
itself in return to defend Virginia and to pay 
her troops. 

General Joseph E. Johnston was sent on 
the 23rd of May by the Confederate Govern- 
ment to take command at Harper's Ferry 
and Colonel Jackson at once gave up his 
trust to General Johnston. 

The Virginia regiments at that place — the 
Second, the Fourth, the Fifth, the Twenty- 
seventh, and a little after, the Thirty-third, 



93 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

with Pendleton's battery of light field-guns — 
were now organized into a brigade, of which 
I 1 Jackson was made the com- 
mander. This was the bri- 
I :k|'^-^ gade which afterwards became 

I 1^' famous as the "Stonewall 

[ ^ Brigade," and which, we shall 

L^_^ ..L^i see, did much hard fighting, 
and was to the Southern army 
what the "Tenth Legion" was to the great 
Ca3sar. 

General Johnston soon found out that he 
could not hold Harper's Ferry against the foe 
which was now coming up under General 
Patterson. He, therefore, burnt the great rail- 
road bridge over the Potomac river at Har- 
per's Ferry and moved away all his guns and 
stores; then on Sunday, June 16th, he with- 
drew his little army to Bunker Hill, a place 
about twelve miles from the city of Winches- 
ter. There he ofiered battle to General Pat- 
terson, but the latter refused to fight and 
withdrew to the north bank of the Potomac. 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 93 

On June 19th, Colonel Jackson was ordered 
to march northward and watch the foe, who 
was again crossing the river. He was also 
ordered to destroy the engines and cars of the 
Baltimore and Ohio railroad at Martinsburg. 

This he did, though he writes of it in the 
following words: "It was a sad work; but 
I had my orders, and my duty was to obey." 

Until July 2nd, Colonel Jackson, with his 
brigade, remained a little north of Martins- 
burg, having in his front Colonel J. E. B. 
Stuart with a regiment of cavalry. On that 
day General Patterson advanced to meet 
Jackson, who went forward with only one 
regiment, the Fifth Virginia, a few companies 
of cavalry, and one light field piece. A 
sharp skirmish ensued. At last, the foe 
coming up in large numbers, Jackson fell 
back to the main body of his troops after 
having taken forty-five prisoners, and killed 
and wounded a large number of the enemy. 
Jackson's loss was only two men killed and 
ten wounded. 



94 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

In this battle, which is known as that of 
Haines's Farm, Colonel Jackson was, no 
doubt, the only man in the infantry who 
had ever been under fire, but they all 
behaved with the greatest coolness and 
bravery. 

Jackson, in this first battle, showed such 
boldness, and at the same time such care for 
the lives of his men, that he at once gained 
a hold upon their esteem. 

General Patterson now held Martinsburg; 
while General Johnston, having come up 
with the whole army, ofiered him battle each 
day. But Patterson had other plans, and 
soon moved away. 

While General Johnston was at Winches- 
ter watching his movements, Colonel Jackson 
received this note : 

" Richmond, July 3rd, '61. 

My Deal'- General : 

I have the pleasure of sending you a commis- 
sion of Brigadier-General in the Provisional Army; 



TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 95 

and to feel that you merit it. May your advance- 
ment increase your usefulness to the State. 
Very truly, 

R. E. LEE." 

General Jackson, for so we must now call 
him, was much pleased at this promotion, 
and wrote to his wife thus : 

"Through the blessinor of God, I have now all 
that I ought to wish in the line of promotion. 
May His blessing rest on you is my fervent prayer." 



Ar'se-nal, a storehouse for arms and military 
stores. 

Ma-rines', soldiers doing duty on a ship. 

Mar'tyr, one who is put to death for the truth. 

Sen'ior (sen-yur), one older in age or office. 

Vol-un-teer', one who enters into any service of 
his own free will. 

Me'teor, a shining body passing through the 
air. 

Cae'sar (se-zar), a great Roman general. 
Do you remember — 

What happened in October 1859? 
When Virginia seceded from the Union ? 



96 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

When Major Jackson left Lexington with the 

cadets ? 
Of what place Colonel Jackson first took 

commantl ? 
About Jackson's first battle ? 




Ge/ter((l Rubtrt E. Lee. 



98 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

CHAPTER YI. 
A Brigadier-General. 

During the spring of 1861, the States of 
North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas, 
also left the Union and joined the new Con- 
federacy, the capital of which was now Rich- 
mond, Virginia. 

The great object of the North was to cap- 
ture Richmond. For this they raised four 
large armies to invade Virginia. The first 
was to go by way of Fortress Monroe; the 
second, by way of Manassas; the third was 
to march up the Shenandoah A'alley ; and the 
fourth was to come from the northwest. 

Turn to the map of Virginia on the oppo- 
site page and find the places which I have 
mentioned, and you will understand the plan 
at once. 

Now, the Confederate army was much 
smaller than the Federal army, because the 




(99) 



100 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Southern States were thinly settled, while 
the North contained very many large cities 
and had the world from which to draw 
supplies of men as well as munitions of 
war. 

The North also was rich, because it had 
the treasury of the United States, while the 
South was poor in. both money and arms, 
and had the outside world closed against her. 

So the Confederate leaders had to use 
great skill in meeting such large armies with 
so few men. 

You remember that in the j 

last chapter I told how Gen- 
eral Johnston, at Winchester, 
with a small force was watch- 
ing General Patterson. Now, 
just across the mountains, 
sixty miles southeast, at Manassas, Beaure- 
gard (bo-re-gard), another famous Southern 
general, was facing a large Northern army 
under General McDowell. This army was 
thirty-live thousand strong, while the Con- 



ic* n 




General Beauregard . 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 101 

federates had only twenty-eight thousand 
men. General. McDowell's army was com- 
posed of the best soldiers in the Northern 
States, and they had splendid tire-arms, 
artillery, uniforms, and tents — in fact, all 
that money could buy to make them do good 
service in the field. 

On the other hand, the Confederates were 
poorly clad and had old muskets and cannon ; 
many of the cavalry had only the shot-guns 
which they had used for hunting in their boy- 
hood days. 

The North fully expected that this fine 
army would crush the Confederates at one 
blow, and, when General McDowell was a 
little slow in marching forward to battle, 
began to cry, "On to Richmond." 

Large crowds of idlers, editors, reporters, 
members of Congress, government officials, 
and even ladies went from Washington to 
the rear of the Federal army in order to wit- 
ness the defeat of the Confederates. 

General Beauregard now sent word to Gen- 



102 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

eral Johnston to leave Patterson and come 
across the mountains to his aid. General 
Johnston at once sent Colonel Stuart with 
his cavalry to face Patterson, and to try to 
keep him from finding out that Johnston 
had left Winchester and had gone to the help 
of Beauregard. 

This order Stuart obeyed so well that 
Johnston was at Manassas, sixty miles away, 
before Patterson discovered the ruse. 

General Johnston's army set out from Win- 
chester on the forenoon of Thursday, July 
18th. The First Virginia Brigade, led by 
General Jackson, headed the line of march. 
As they passed through the streets of Win- 
chester, the people asked, with sad faces, if 
they were going to hand them over to the foe. 
The soldiers, for reply, said that they knew 
not where, or for what purpose, they were 
marching southeast. 

But when they had marched about three 
miles, General Johnston called a halt, and 
an order was read to them explaining that 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 103 

they were going to Beauregard, who was then 
on the eve of a great battle with McDowell. 
The General hoped that his troops would act 
like men and save their country. 

At these words, the men rent the air with 
their shouts and went forward at a double- 
quick, waded the Shenandoah river, which 
was waist deep, crossed the Blue Ridge 
mountains at Ashby's Gap, and two hours 
after midnight paused to rest for awhile at 
the village of Paris, on the eastern slope of 
the mountains. 

Dr. Dabney tells us that here, while the 
men slept, Jackson himself kept watch, say- 
ing, ''Let the poor fellows sleep; I will guard 
the camp myself." For several hours he 
paced up and down under the trees, or sat 
on the fence. At last, an hour before day- 
break, he gave up his watch to a member of 
his staff, and rolling himself upon the grass 
in a fence-corner, was soon fast asleep. 

At peep of day, the brigade was up and 
away, and, by dusk on July 19th, the whole 



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'Let the pool' fellows sleep ; I will guard the camp myself. 

(104) 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 105 

command, dusty, hungry, and foot-sore, 
marched into an old pine-field near Manas- 
sas, where they spent Saturday in resting 
for the coming battle. 

The Confederate lines stretched for eight 
miles along the southern bank of Bull Run, 
which could be forded at several places. At 
these fords General Beauregard had placed 
large bodies of men. On July 18th, before 
Jackson had come up, General McDowell had 
tried to take these fords, but his troops had 
been driven back. 

He then made a plan to march a part of 
his forces around the Confederates' left wing 
at a certain stone bridge, and to get in their 
rear. Being thus between two large forces, 
the Confederates would be crushed or forced 
to surrender. 

On Sunday morning, July 21st, General 
McDowell sent forward a portion of his troops 
to the stone bridge, which was guarded at 
that time by the gallant Colonel Evans, with 
only eleven hundred men. After he had 



106 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

fought desperately for several hours, and just 
as he was outflanked and sorely beset, Gen- 
erals Bee and Bartow came up to his aid, 
and for awhile turned the tide of battle. 

At last, however, the Confederates were 
slowly forced back by larger numbers. At 
this moment. General Jackson reached the 
spot with his brigade of two thousand six 
hundred men. These he quickly placed on 
the crest of a ridge in the edge of a pine 
thicket, and before them posted seventeen 
cannon. 

Generals Bee and Bartow and Colonel 
Evans rallied their broken lines on the right ; 
while on the left were a few regiments of 
Virginia and Carolina troops. The whole 
force numbered about six thousand five hun- 
dred men. The infantry of his brigade were 
ordered by Jackson to lie down behind the 
artillery to escape the fire of the enemy, who 
were now coming across the valley and up 
the hill with twenty thousand men and 
twenty-four cannon. Just then, Generals 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 107 

Johnston and Beauregard galloped to the 
front and cheered the men on in every part 
of the field. 

From eleven o'clock A. M. until three 
o'clock P. M., the artillery shook the earth 
with its dreadful roar, and thousands of 
musket-balls whizzed through the air, black 
with the smoke of battle. 

While the artillery fight was going on, 
General Jackson rode back and forth between 
the guns and his regiments lying prone upon 
the ground in the burning sun, and greatly 
tried by bursting shell and grape-shot. His 
erect form and blazing eyes brought hope 
and courage to them in this their first bap- 
tism of fire. 

At last General Bee, seeing his thin ranks 
begin to waver, said, "General, they are 
beating us back." "Then," said Jackson, 
"we will give them the bayonet." Bee, 
catching the spirit of Jackson, galloped back 
to his men, saying, "There is Jackson, stand- 
ing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Yir- 



108 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



ginians!" A few score of the men rallied 
around the gallant Bee and charged upon 
the foe. In a few moments the brave Bee 
fell dead, with his face to the foe. "From 




There is Jacknon, standi7ig like a Stone Wall ! 



that time," says Draper, an historian of the 
North, "the name which Jackson had re- 
ceived in a baptism of fire, displaced that 
which he had received in a baptism of water, 



TEE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 109 

and he was known ever after as 'Stonewall 
Jackson.'" 

Both of Jackson's flanks were now in dan- 
ger, and he saw that the moment had come 
to use the bayonet. Wheeling his cannon to 
right and left, he gave the signal to his men 
to rise, and cried out to the Second regiment, 
"Eeserve your fire until they come within 
fifty yards; and then fire and give them the 
bayonet; and when you charge, yell like 
furies." 

His men sprang to their feet, fired one 
deadly volley, and then dashed down upon 
the foe. The latter could not stand this 
dreadful onset, but turned and fled. A 
battery which had been captured by the 
foe was retaken, and the centre of the ene- 
my's line of battle pierced by Jackson's men. 

For four hours, Jackson had kept the 
enemy at bay, but now help was near at 
hand. Just as the Federals had rallied and 
again advanced in large numbers. General 
Kirby Smith, with a body of men which had 



110 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

just come from the Valley, and Generals Early 
and Holmes, with reserve troops, hurried up 
and struck the right wing of the Federal 
army, while the Confederates in the centre 
turned against them their own guns. This 
onset proved too much for the Federals. They 
again fled; and this time, their retreat be- 
came a general rout. The men in terror 
cast away their guns, and leaving cannon 
and flags, rushed for the nearest fords of Bull 
Run. The Confederate cavalry pursued them, 
while Kemper's held battery ploughed them 
through and through with shells. The road 
to Washington was one surging mass of hu- 
man beings struggling to get away from the 
dreadful field of death. 

General Jackson's troops took no part in 
pursuit except to plant a battery and fire at 
the fleeing foe, many of whom did not stop 
until they were safe across the Long Bridge 
at Washington. 

Though the Confederates were the victors, 
they had lost many brave men. Generals 




^i^i: 



k 





112 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Bee and Bartow were killed, and General 
Kirby Smith was badly wounded. General 
Jackson had been wounded in his left hand 
early in the action, but had taken no notice 
of it. Now that the battle was over, he felt 
the pain acutely, and went to the field-hos- 
pital, which had been placed by the side of 
a brook beneath the shade of some friendly 
willow-trees. 

When he came up, his friend, Dr. McGuire, 
said, ' ' General, are you much hurt ? " " Xo, ' ' 
replied he; "I believe it is a trifle." "How 
goes the day?" asked the Doctor. "Oh!" 
exclaimed Jackson, "We have beaten them; 
we have gained a glorious victory." Dr. Dab- 
ney says that this was the only time that 
Jackson was ever heard to express joy at 
having gained the day. 

When the surgeons came around him to 
dress his wounded hand he said, "No, I can 
wait ; my wound is but a trifle ; attend first 
to those poor fellows." He then sat down 
upon the grass and waited until tjie .wounds 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 113 

of the badly hurt had been dressed. At first 
it was thought that his middle finger would 
have to be cut off, but Dr. McGuire hav- 
ing dressed it very skilfully, it was saved, 
and his hand at length healed. 

It is stated by several friends that General 
Jackson said, while having his hand dressed, 
that, with ten thousand fresh troops, he be- 
lieved that he could go into Washington city. 
However, as he was not the commanding 
general, he could not make the attempt, but 
could only do as he was ordered. 

I must not fail to give you a part of a let- 
ter which he wrote to his wife the day after 
the battle, July 22nd : 

" Yesterday we fought a great battle and gained 
a great victory, for which all the glory is due z*^ 
God alone. Though under fire for several hours, 
I received only one wound, the breaking of the 
longest finger of the left hand, but the doctor says 
that it can be saved. My horse was wounded, but 
not killed. My coat got an ugly wound near the 
hip. * '=' * While great credit is due to other 



114 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

parts of our gallant army, God made my brigade 
more instrumental than any other in repulsing the 
main attack. 

This is for you alone. Say nothing about it. 
Let another speak praise, not myself." 

But the praise of the Stonewall Brigade 
was not sung by Jackson alone. Both friend 
and foe unite in saying that if Jackson had 
not held the hill, which was the key to the 
Confederate position, until help came, the 
battle of Manassas (Bull Run) would have 
been a defeat, and not a victory for the South. 

Jackson's eagle eye saw the place to make 
a stand, and he held it for four hom's against 
all odds. 

At one time, while his men were lying 
upon the ground, they were so harassed by 
the bursting of shells that some of the offi- 
cers begged to be permitted to advance. 
"No," said Jackson, "wait for the signal; 
this ]ylace must he lieldy 

We do not seek to take glory from other 
heroes of this wonderful battle, many of 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 115 

whom, as Bee and Bartow, bravely gave up 
their lives in the storm of battle; or, as 
Smith and Early, made forced marches in 
order to rescue those so sorely pressed; but 
we do say that, in one sense, Jackson was 
the hero of the first battle of Manassas. 

In this battle the Confederates captured 
twenty-eight cannon with five thousand 
muskets and vast stores of articles useful 
to their needy army. 

The Confederates lost three hundred and 
sixty-nine killed on the field, and fourteen 
hundred and eighty-three wounded. 

The road to Washington was now open, 
and there is no doubt that General Jackson 
thought it best to press on while the enemy 
was routed and take possession of the city. 

But the commanding generals were afraid 
to risk the attempt with an army which had 
been drilled only a few weeks and which had 
so little discipline ; and, thus, the moment to 
strike passed by. 

In a few days the North had chosen a 



116 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

new commander, General McClellan, who set 
himself to raise new armies to defend Wash- 
ington and to scourge the South. 

Soon after the battle, General Jackson 
moved his men to a piece of woodland near 
by, where he employed the time in drilling 
his troops. After a time the Confederate 
lines were pushed forward to within sight of 
Washington city, but no battle took place, 
as General McClellan was too wise to risk 
another engagement so soon after Manassas. 

In October, General Jackson was promoted 
to the rank of Major-General, and was sent 
to the Shenandoah Yalley to take command 
of the army which had been fighting in West 
Virginia. 

The Stonewall Brigade was left behind 
with General Johnston. This was a great 
trial, both to General Jackson and to the 
brigade. 

When the time came for him to leave for 
the new field of war, he ordered the brigade 
to march out under arms, and then rode to 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 117 

their front with his staff. Dr. Dabney says 
that no cheer arose, but every face was sad. 

After speaking a few words of praise and 
love, he threw his bridle reins on the neck 
of his horse, and stretching his arms towards 
them said : " In the Army of the Shenandoah, 
you were the First Brigade. In the Army of 
the Potomac, you were the First Brigade. In 
the Second Corps of the army, you are the 
First Brigade. You are the First Brigade in 
the affections of your General; and I hope, 
by your future deeds and bearing, you will 
be handed down to posterity as the First 
Brigade in this, our second War of Independ- 
ence. Farewell." 

He then waved his hand, and left the 
grounds at a gallop, followed by the cheers 
of his brave soldiers. This separation, how- 
ever, was for but a short time. In Novem- 
ber following, the First Brigade was ordered 
to join Jackson at Winchester, and it re- 
mained with him until the fatal hour at 
Chancellorsville, when it lost him forever. 



118 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Rlise (rooz), a trick. 

Staff, certain officers attached to an army. 
Rout, fleeing in a confused and disorderly man- 
ner. 

In'stru-men'tal, conducive to some end. 
Dis'cipline, order, rule. 

Tell about — 

General Johnston's army at Winchester. 
Colonel Jackson's first battle in the Civil 

War. 
The march to Manassas. 
The first battle of Manassas. 
Jackson's farewell to the Stonewall Brigade. 




Jackson's military cap, sword, and buttons. 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 119 

CHAPTER YII. 

A Major-General. 

When the year 1862 opened, General Jack- 
son was at Winchester with ten thousand 
men, Generals Loring and Henry Jackson 
having come from Western Virginia to join 
his command. 

At the head of Jackson's cavalry was 
Lieutenant-Colonel Ashby, a gallant, brave, 
and watchful officer. At 
the sound of his well- 
known shout and the cry 
of "Ashby," from his 
men, the Federal soldiers 
would turn and flee as if 
I from a host. Ever guard- 
' '•' - ■ '- ing the outposts of the 

Lieut-Col. AMy. ^^^^ ^^ ^.^^ Jacksou's 

"eyes and ears." 
There were now three great armies threat- 




120 THE LIFE OE OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

ening Jackson, and he well knew that they 
would crush him if he did not meet each one 
singly before they could unite. 

Jackson's little army was the guard to 
Johnston's flank. The latter general, with 
forty thousand men, was still at Manassas 
facing McClellan, who was at the head of an 
army of fifty thousand men, and preparing, 
as soon as spring opened, to "walk over 
Johnston." 

Jackson knew that if his army were de- 
feated, Johnston would have to retreat, and 
perhaps the whole State would be given up 
to the foe. The armies were now in winter 
quarters, and there was not much danger of 
a move before spring. 

In the meantime, Jackson resolved to 
march against several large forces of Federals 
which were threatening him from the towns 
of Komney and Bath, forty miles distant, 
in ]S"orthwestern Virginia. 

It was the last of December, however. 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 121 

before he could collect the men and supplies 
necessary for the expedition. 

At last, on the first day of January, 1862, 
all was ready. The little army of about nine 
thousand men set out without knowing 
whither Jackson was leading, for he had not 
told even his officers his great plans. 

In spite of the winter season, the day was 
bright and the air soft and balmy. So warm 
was the weather that the men left their over- 
coats and blankets to be brought on in the 
wagons. On the next day, a biting wind 
began to blow, which was followed by rain 
and snow. 

The men marched all day, and at night 
the wagons, which had not been able to keep 
up with the troops, were still far behind. 
The troops rested that night without rations 
or blankets, having only camp-fires to keep 
ofi' the cold. 

On the third day, the men were so over- 
come by cold and hunger that they found it 
difficult to go forward. Jackson, riding 



122 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

grimly along the way, found his old brigade 
halted, and asked General Garnett the reason 
of the delay. 

''I have halted," said General Garnett, 
"to let the men cook rations." 

"There is not time for it," replied General 
Jackson curtly. 

"But it is impossible for the men to go 
farther without them," said Garnett. 

"I never found anything impossible with 
that brigade," said Jackson as he rode on. 
He was restive and eager to press forward; 
his plan to surprise the enemy did not admit 
of delay. 

As the army neared the town of Bath, a 
force of Federals suddenly attacked it from 
behind trees and fences, but it was soon 
driven oif with the loss of twenty prisoners. 

That night the Southern troops went into 
camp just outside the town, in the midst of 
a heavy snow storm. The men were with- 
out food or blankets, and the wonder is how 
they lived through the night. 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 123 

Jackson, however, did not change his plans, 
though there was great complaint among the 
men, many of whom straggled back to Win- 
chester. 

The next morning, after a hearty break- 
fast, the order was given to advance upon 
Bath. The artillery opened fire and the 
infantry charged the breastworks, but the 
Federals hastily gave up the town, and fled 
towards the Potomac river, which they waded 
that night. 

The Southern troops on entering the town 
found quantities of stores which the Federals 
had left behind; among them were fine 
clothes, china, and even dinners, cooked and 
still smoking, ready to be eaten by the hun- 
gry Confederates. 

From Bath, Jackson's men passed, with 
great difiiculty and suftering, to a place called 
Hancock, about three miles distant from 
Bath, on the north side of the Potomac. 

Jackson placed his cannon on the south 
bank and opened a hot fire on the town, but 



124 TEE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

the commander refused to surrender. As a 
large force of men came up to reinforce the 
Federals, Jackson concluded to pass on to 
Romney. 

In the meantime, the railroad bridge over 
Capon river had been destroyed and the 
telegraph wires cut by General Loring, so 
that the commander at Romney could not 
send to General Banks for help. 

The weather had now become terrible. 
Rain, snow, sleet, and hail beat down upon 
men still without tents, overcoats, and blank- 
ets; for it was impossible for the wagons to 
come up The mountain roads were covered 
with ice and sleet so that horses and men 
could not keep their footing. Many fell flat, 
badly hurt, while wagon after wagon slid 
down the steep banks, and was overturned 
and broken. 

Jackson was everywhere along the line 
cheering the troops and even helping them 
along. We are told by Cooke, our great 
Virginia writer, that, as Jackson was pass- 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 125 

ing a point in the road where a piece of 
artillery had stalled, while a crowd of men 
was looking on without helping, he stopped, 
dismounted, and, without uttering a word, 
put his shoulder to the wheel. The men, 
shamed, came forward to take their places, 
the horses were whipped up, and the piece 
moved on. 

After great hardships, the little army at 
last reached Komney, on the Ittth of January, 
to find that the Federals had retreated, leav- 
ing behind them large military stores, which 
fell into the hands of the Confederates. 

Even then, the name of Jackson was a 
terror to the foe. With a force much larger 
than Jackson's, and when he was more than 
a day's march distant, the Federals had fled 
and left the greater part of their baggage. 

In sixteen days, he had driven the enemy 
out of his district, had rendered the railroad 
useless to the Federals for more than a hun^ 
dred miles, and had captured arms enough 
to equip an army as large as his own. This 



126 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACK&OK 

he had done with the loss of four men killed 
and twenty-eight wounded. 

Leaving General Loring at Komney with 
a portion of the army, Jackson hastened 
back to Winchester to watch the movements 
of General Banks, who was stationed, with a 
large army, near Harper's Ferry. 

Upon his return, he found the whole coun- 
try in an uproar over the expedition to Rom- 
ney through the sleet and snow. Though 
no one could say that Jackson was not full of 
courage and devotion to the South, many 
said that he was cruel and not fit to be in 
command of an army. Some said that he 
was a madman; others, that he was without 
common sense. Another charge against him 
was that he was partial to the Stonewall 
Brigade, as he had brought it back with him 
to the comforts of a town, while he had left 
Loring' s command in the mountains. The 
soldiers of the brigade were called "Jack- 
son's Pet Lambs," and other like names. 

Now, the truth was, that Loring' s men 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 127 

were far more comfortable than those of the 
Stonewall Brigade ; the former being ordered 
into huts, while the latter were in tents, 
three miles from Winchester. 

Another charge against him was that he 
would tell his plans to no one. "It was his 
maxim,^^ says Dabney, "that in war, mystery 
was the key to success." He argued that 
no man could tell what bit of news might 
not be of use to the foe, and therefore, that 
it was the part of wisdom to conceal every- 
thing. 

This secrecy irritated his officers, and it 
must be said that some of them so far for- 
got their duty as soldiers as to treat Gen- 
eral Jackson with disrespect. 

Though all of these charges were known 
to Jackson, he took no notice of them, but 
was proceeding to connect Romney with 
Winchester by telegraph wires when, on Jan- 
uary 31st, he received this order from Rich- 
mond: "Order Loring back to Winchester 
at once." 



128 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

The cause of this order was that some of 
the officers at Romney had sent a petition to 
Richmond asking to be sent back to Win- 
chester, as the position at Ronmey was, in 
their opinion, too much exposed. 

General Jackson recalled the troops from 
Romney, but he was so angry at the way in 
which he had been treated by the govern- 
ment, that he at once resigned his command. 

This caused great excitement in the army 
and in the State at large. The people were 
by no means willing to give up an officer 
who had shown so much courage and skill, 
and they begged him to withdraw his resig- 
nation. This he refused to do. He said 
that the government had shown, by the order, 
that it did not trust him, and that, if he was 
to be meddled with in that way, he could do 
no good. At last, however, a sort of an 
apology being made by the government, he 
(quietly took up his duties again. 

In a few days after General Loring left 
Romney, the Federals again took possession 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 129 

of that town and the country around. So 
all the efforts of Jackson and the trials of 
his soldiers were of no avail. This was a 
great blow to General Jackson, for Win- 
chester was again exposed to the advance of 
the foe from four directions. 

The plan for the invasion of Virginia in 
1862 was the same as in 1861. General 
Fremont was marching from the Northwest; 
Banks, from Harper's Ferry; McDowell, from 
Fredericksburg ; McClellan faced Johnston at 
Manassas, and another large army was at 
Fortress Monroe, ready to march up the 
Peninsula. 

The Northern army was much larger than 
the year before, but the Southern army was 
smaller, as the time of many of the men had 
expired and others had gone home on 
furlough. 

Several brigades were now taken from 
General Jackson to strengthen other points, 
and he found himself left, with only six 
thousand men, to guard the left of John- 



130 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

ston's army and to protect the great Shenan- 
doah Valley. 

On the 26th of February, General Banks, 
with thirty-five thousand men, and Gen- 
eral Kelly, with eleven thousand, advanced 
against Jackson, who was still at Win- 
chester, hoping to hold that place, until 
help could come from General Johnston. 
But tinding out through Colonel Ashby that 
he was almost surrounded by the enemy, he 
left Winchester and fell back slowly to Mt. 
Jackson, a village on the great turnpike, 
forty miles from Winchester. Here, he had 
sent all of his stores and sick soldiers some 
weeks before; so that, when the Federals 
entered Winchester, they found not a 
prisoner or a musket to "enrich their 
conquest." 

It was a great trial to Jackson to leave 
his kind friends in Winchester, but he 
promised them "to wait for a better time 
and come again." We shall see how well 
he kept his promise. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 131 

On March 19th, General Johnston wrote 
to General Jackson at Mt. Jackson, asking 
him to move closer to the enemy and to pre- 
vent him, if possible, from sending troops 
across to McClellan. Word was brought at 
the same time, that fifteen thousand men 
were then leaving the army of Banks to aid 
in turning the left wing of Johnston's forces, 
as he fell back to lines of defense nearer 
Richmond. 

So Jackson gave orders to his little army, 
which now numbered only twenty-seven 
hundred men, to march back down the Val- 
ley. That night the infantry slept at Stras- 
burg, while Ashby's men drove in the out- 
posts of the Federals at Winchester. 

General Banks, thinking that Jackson 
would trouble him no more, had left for 
Washington, and General Shields was in 
command of the army. 

General Jackson, on the morning of March 
23rd, pushed forward his whole force, and, 
when about five miles from Winchester, at a 



132 THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

place called Kernstown, he found Ashby 
fighting furiously with the advance of the 
foe. Taking a good position, he at once 
gave battle, though he saw that he was 
greatly outnumbered. The battle raged from 
about noon until night. Regiment after 
regiment was hurled against Jackson's thin 
ranks, but they fought stubbornly and would 
have gained the day, had not the ammuni- 
tion of the Stonewall Brigade given out. 
Hearing his fire dying away for want of 
ammunition, General Garnett gave orders 
for his men to retreat. When Jackson saw 
the lines of his old brigade give back, he 
galloped to the spot, and, ordering Garnett 
to hold his ground, pushed forward to rally 
the men. Seeing a drummer boy retreating 
like the rest, he seized him by the shoulder, 
dragged him in full view of the soldiers, and 
said in his sternest tones, "Beat the rally! " 
The drummer beat the rally, and in the midst 
of a storm of balls Jackson saw the lines 
reform. 




^i0t^ 



■ Beat the Rally ! " 



(133) 



134 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

But it was too late. The enemy now 
pressed forward in such numbers that there 
was nothing left to do but to retreat. This 
they did in good order, but the Federals 
held the field of battle where so many dead 
and Avounded men were lying. 

In this battle of Kernstown twenty-seven 
hundred Confederates, with eleven guns, at- 
tacked eleven thousand Federals and almost 
gained the victory. It is said that General 
Shields had just given orders for his men to 
retreat when the Stonewall Brigade fell back. 

As General Shields followed Jackson up 
the Valley after the battle, he stopped at a 
noted country house for the night. General 
Jackson had also rested there upon his re- 
treat, and from his adjutant the lady of the 
house had learned the correct number of 
Jackson's men. 

General Shields, at breakfast, entered into 
a conversation with his hostess, and in a 
polite way boasted of his great victory. 
"Ah! General," said the lady, "we can 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 135 



afford such defeats as that, when twenty- 
seven hundred men hold back eleven thou- 
sand for hours and then retreat at leisure! 
Such defeats are victories." General Shields 
was surprised to learn the small number of 
Jackson's forces, and begged the lady to tell 
him her informant. "Certainly," said the 
lady, "General Jackson's adjutant, Major 
Paxton. I have also information that large 
reinforcements are com- 
ing to Jackson and that 
he will again be ready 
to meet you." " I have 
no doubt of that, my 
dear M a d a m , " smi 1- 
ingly r e t u rued t h e 
General. 

That night Jackson's 
little army rested near 
Newtown, while Ashby kept watch not far 
from the field of battle. "Jackson," says 
Cooke, "got an armful of corn for his horse; 
and, wrapping his blanket about him, lay 




Major E. F. Paxton. 



UQ THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

down by a fire in a fence comer and went 
to sleep." Though defeated for the first and 
last time, he had won the object of the bat- 
tle. The fifteen thousand men who had 
started across the mountains to McClellan 
were recalled to the Yalley, and Johnston 
was able to move safely behind the Rappa- 
hannock river, his new line of defense. 

At four o'clock on the morning of the 
24:th, Jackson began to retreat slowly and 
in good order. The enemy pursued for 
awhile, but at last fell back to Winchester. 

Jackson's army was far from cast down 
by the defeat at Kernstown. The soldiers 
felt that they had made a splendid fight 
against three times their number. And now, 
too, for the first time, it began to dawn upon 
them that their general Avas a great leader. 
As Jackson passed along the columns, the 
men would cheer themselves hoarse. 

Cooke tells us that one man was heard to 
ask, as he struggled along, "Why is Old Jack 
a better general than Moses?" "Because 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 137 

it took Moses forty years to lead the Israel- 
ites through the wilderness, and Old Jack 
would have double-quicked them through it 
in three days! " 

It is said by another writer, that the men 
would laugh and say that the only rest they 
had was when they were retreating before 
the enemy. He always led them by forced 
marches when going to attack the foe, but 
never fast enough on a retreat to lose the 
chances of a light. 

The weather was now mild and balmy, 
and the men suffered few hardships during 
their slow retreat. At last they reached the 
old camp at Mt. Jackson, where Jackson 
gathered up his wounded and sent them up 
the Valley. 

On the 1st of April, he crossed the north 
fork of the Shenandoah, and took position on 
Rude's Hill, five miles below New Market. 

General Banks had again come up the 
Valley, and was pressing upon the rear of 
Jackson's arm v. 



138 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

It was left for Colonel Asliby to burn the 
bridge near Mt. Jackson, after tlie Southern 
army had passed over. While Ashby and 
his men were engaged in this Avork, the 
Federal cavalry dashed u]) and a skirmish 
ensued, in which Ashby' s beautiful snow- 
white charger was moi'tally wounded. 

General Jackson renuiined at Rude's Hill 
until April 17th, when, the waters having 
subsided so that the Federal army could 
cross the river, he again took u}) his line of 
march through New Market to Harrisonburg. 
At the last named place he turned east, and, 
passing the south end of Massanutton moun- 
tain, crossed the south branch of the Shenan- 
doah river and posted his troops in the gorge 
of the Blue Eidge called Swift Run Gap. 

The way to Staunton A\'as now open to 
General Banks, but he was too timid to go 
forward. Jackson in his rear was worse than 
Jackson in front of him. So, for two weeks, 
Jackson held the Gap while Banks occupied 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 139 

Harrisonburg, and laid waste the country 
around. 

Jackson had now about eight thousand 
men and thirty guns. His men had re- 
turned from hospitals and furloughs and also 
a number of new i-ecruits had poured in to 
help in this time of danger. The General 
employed these weeks of rest in organizing 
and drillmg his men and in mending up his 
old artillery. In the meantime also, he made 
bold plans, and with the help of General K. 
E. Lee, who had noAv been made commander 
of the "Army of Northern Virginia," pro- 
ceeded to carry them out. 

Now^, in order to understand the great 
genius of our hero, and the bravery and en- 
durance of his men, you must study the map 
on the next page. 

You will see that the Yalley of the Shen- 
andoah is bounded on the east by the Blue 
Kidge mountains, and on the west by the 
Alleghany. Winchester is situated in the 
northern part of the Valley, while Staunton 




(140) 



TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 141 

is about ninety miles to the south. These 
two places are connected by a tine turnpike. 

Now, near the center of the Yalley, rises 
a beautiful mountain which the Indians 
called Massanutton, and which still retains 
that name. This mountain begins near 
Strasburg and extends about fifty miles 
towards Staunton, ending abruptly not far 
from Harrisonburg. 

There is only one gap in the Massanutton 
mountain, and that is opposite the towns of 
New Market and Luray. 

The valley east of the mountain is called 
the Page Yalley, while the entire valley, in- 
cluding the Page Valley, is the Shenandoah 
Valley. 

Some of the children who will read this 
book live under the shadow and in sight of 
this lovely mountain, which enabled Jackson 
to play at "hide and seek" with his foe, and 
I hope they will understand thoroughly the 
great movements which I shall relate. 

Though Jackson and his little army were 



143 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

safe in Swift Run Gap, opposite the village 
of Elkton, for awhile, they could not have 
remained there long, as three major-generals, 
with as many large armies, were marching 
to surround and crush them. Banks was 
only fifteen miles distant, Milroy was com- 
ing by way of Staunton from Western Vir- 
ginia, and Fremont from the northwest. 
General McDowell, at Fredericksburg, was 
also ordered to send twenty thousand men to 
the Valley, instead of advancing to help 
McClellan, who was now near Richmond 
wdth a large army. You see, Jackson was 
bravely obeying General Johnston's orders 
to keep the Federals busy in the Valley and 
to prevent them from reinforcing McClellan. 
Now, tliere was a small force of Confed- 
erates, under General Edward Johnson, on 
Shenandoah mountain, twenty miles west of 
Staunton. There was great danger that 
Milroy with his larger army would overcome 
Johnson, take Staunton, and march on to 




Oencrals Jackson, Johnston, and Lee. 



(143) 



144 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

join Banks. Their two armies would then 
be large enough to crush Jackson. 

It was also important to keep Staunton 
out of the hands of the foe, as it was situated 
on the Chesapeake and Ohio railway, which 
carried supplies from the fertile Yalley to 
Richmond. 

So General Jackson wrote to General Lee 
that he would go to the help of Johnson and 
protect Staunton, if he (Lee) would send a 
force to hold Banks in check during his 
absence. 

This General Lee did, sending from Rich- 
mond General Ewell (u'-el), a brave officer, 
Avith eight thousand men, who marched into 
Swift Run Gap from the east and took the 
places which Jackson's men had just left. 

It was now Jackson's object to reach 
Staunton without the knowledge of Banks, 
so he marched, with great difficulty, through 
miry roads, down the mountain about eight 
miles to another gap across the Blue Ridge, 
called Brown's Gap. When there, he turned 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 145 

east and marched swiftly across the mount- 
ain into Albemarle county, passing through 
the village of White Hall to Medium's River 
Station. Thence the troops were carried 
swiftly by rail to Staunton, reaching there 
on the night of the 4th of May, to the great 
joy of the people of Staunton, who thought 
that they had been deserted by Jackson in 
their time of need. 

By Monday the whole army had come up. 
They were then joined by General Johnson 
and his army. On the 7th, one day having 
been spent in preparing for the march, Jack- 
son, with General Johnson's command in 
front, marched towards Milroy, who was now 
posted on Shenandoah mountain. 

Jackson had been joined at Staunton by 
the corps of cadets from the Military Insti- 
tute at Lexington under their teachers. 
Many of them were mere boys, but they were 
filled with joy at taking their first look at 
grim war under Stonewall Jackson, who had 
so lately been a professor in that school. 



146 THE LIFE OF GE^. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

As the Confederate annv approached Shen- 
andoah mountain, the Federals retreated to 
the viUage of McDowell. 

On Thursday, Ma}^ 8th, Jackson and 
Johnson, with the connnand of the latter 
still in advance, climbed the sides of the 
mountain overlooking that little village. 

That evening, Avliile the generals were 
waiting for the rest of the army to come up, 
General ^filrov made an attack ui)on their 
position. 

Though not expecting an attack, Jackson 
quickly placed his troops for the conflict, 
the center of the line being held by the 
Twelfth G-eorgia regiment with great bravery. 
It is related that, when ordered at one time 
to retire behind the crest of the hill to 
escape the raking lire of the foe, they refused 
to do so, and kept their position. The next 
day a tall youth from the Georgia regiment 
was asked why they did not fall back as 
ordered. He replied, "We did not come all 
the way to Virginia to run before Yankees." 




The Twelfth Georgia Regiment at McDoicell. 



(147) 



148 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Just before the close of the battle, General 
Johnson Avas wounded in the ankle and 
compelled to leave the field. 

The battle of McDowell raged from half- 
past four to half-past eight P. M., the shades 
of night closing the conflict. Then the Fed- 
erals gave up the assault and retreated 
from the field. "By nine o'clock," says Dr. 
Dabney, "the roar of the struggle had passed 
away, and the green battle-field reposed 
under the starlight as calmly as when it 
had been occupied only by its peaceful 
herds of cattle." 

It was one o'clock A. M. before General 
Jackson reached his tent, having waited to 
see the last wounded man brought off the 
battle-field, and the last picket posted. He 
had eaten nothing since morning, but when 
his faithful servant, Jim, came with food, he 
said, "I want none — nothing but sleep"; 
and in a moment he was fast asleep. 

He was in the saddle at peep of day ; but, 
upon climbing the mountain, he saw that 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 149 

the enemy had left during the night. He at 
once sent this dispatch to Richmond: "God 
blessed our arms with victory at McDowell 
yesterday," and then set out in pursuit of 
the fleeing Federals. He had followed them 
as far as Franklin, when the woods were set 
on fire by the Federals to conceal their posi- 
tion. 

The dense smoke hung like a pall over the 
mountain roads, and the heat from the blaz- 
ing forests was terrible. But still, the long 
column pressed on until Monday, when Gen- 
eral Jackson received an order from General 
Lee to return to the Valley and pay his 
respects to General Banks, who was now at 
Strasburg. 

When the latter general had found out 
that Ewell was holding the Swift Run Gap, 
and that Jackson had left to go — no one 
knew wdiither — he left Harrisonburg and 
retreated to Strasburg. Jackson was lost, 
and, not knowing where he might next 



150 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

appear, General Banks thought it more pru- 
dent to take a safer position. 

Time was now precious to Jackson; so, 
after halting for a brief rest, during which 
time the whole army met to render thanks 
to God for the great victory, he set out on 
his return march to the Valley. 

On the 20th, he was again in New Mar- 
ket, where he was joined by General Ewell. 

By a bold plan and a swift march he 
had saved the army of General Johnson, 
and prevented Milroy from taking Staunton 
and joinnigs Banks, and now he was again 
in pursuit of the latter. 

General Banks was fortifying at Stras- 
burg, and seemed to expect an attack in 
front, so Jackson wisely planned to attack 
him in the rear. 

You remember that I told you that just 
east of New Market there is a pass, or gap, 
through the Massanutton mountain. Now 
Jackson sent a small force of cavalry down 
the turnpike towards Strasburg to hold it, 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 151 

and conceal the movements of the main 
army, which he himself led eastward across 
the mountain into the Page Yalley. 

Hidden by the friendly mountain, his 
troops marched quickly and silently to the 
town of Front Koyal, which is at the northern 
end of the mountain, and which then guarded 
the flank of Banks' army. 

So swift and silent had been the march, 
that Jackson's men were nearly in sight of 
the town before anyone knew of their 
presence. 

One mile and a half from the town, the 
pickets were driven in, and an instant ad- 
vance was ordered. The Confederate troops 
rushed to the attack. The Federals, think- 
ing that Jackson was at least one hundred 
miles away, in the mountains of Western 
Virginia, were taken completely by surprise. 
They surrendered by hundreds, giving up 
quantities of valuable stores, among which 
were five hundred new revolvers and a 
wagon load of coffee. 



152 TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON 

The people of Front Royal were wild 
with joy at seeing the Confederates again, 
but the troops were not permitted to stop. 
On through the town they went at a double- 
quick, for the Federals had now made a 
stand outside of the town. But they were 
speedily put to flight, and the pursuit went on. 

In the meantime, the Confederate cavalry 
came upon a body of Federals near Cedar- 
ville, five miles from Front Royal. A charge 
was at once made upon the Federals by the 
Confederates, and the whole force was driven 
back. The Federals then reformed in an 
orchard, and were again charged upon by the 
Confederates, and, after a fierce contest, were 
captured. 

As night came on, the weary Southern 
troops went into camp, for they were quite 
worn out with marching and fighting. 

The next morning. May 24:th, the troops 
were again moving by peep of day. Our 
hero himself rode forward towards Mid- 
dletown. When in sight of the turnpike 





PpHPH^r^ "" ■■■'^'^% 


r 




■^1 M:^f[:i.. '"^^ >^ 


F. 


1 




M ■■•■ 



(153) 



154 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

which leads from Strasburg to Winchester, 
he saw long lines of Federal horsemen in full 
retreat. 

The batteries of Poagiie and Chew were 
brought forward and a hot fire opened upon 
the retreating foe. The latter broke in wild 
confusion, and soon the turnpike was filled 
with a mass of struggling and dying horses 
and men. A few regiments which formed 
the rear guard fell back to Strasburg, and, 
leaving their baggage at that place, lied 
through the western mountains to the Poto- 
mac river. 

On the turnpike, Ashby with his cavalry 
followed closely after the fleeing foe, firing 
upon them with shot and shell. 

Cooke says: "Either a shell or a round 
shot would strike one of the wagons and 
overturn it, and before those behind could 
stop their headway, they would thunder 
down on the remains of the first. Others 
would tumble in so as to block up the road ; 
and in the midst of it all, Ashby' s troopers 



TBE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 155 

would swoop down, taking prisoners or 
cutting down such as resisted." 

Ashby himself pressed forward, and at 
one time, it is said, took as many as thirty 
prisoners, unaided and alone. 

But Ashby' s men soon betook themselves 
to plundering the wagons, which were rich 
in stores, and thus gave the enemy time to 
recover from their panic. When near New- 
town, the enemy turned and fired upon their 
pursuers. 

At dark, however, the firing ceased, and 
Jackson himself went forward to urge on 
the pursuit. 

The main body of the army had now 
come up, but no halt was made for food or 
rest. The "foot cavalry" of the Valley 
marched all night along the pike lit up by 
"burning wagons, pontoon bridges, and 
stores." 

Every now and then, they would come 
upon men ambuscaded along the sides of 
the pike, and fierce fights would ensue. 



156 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

About dawn on the 25th of May, Jack- 
son's advance force climbed the lofty hill 
southwest of Winchester. This hill was 
already held by the Federals, but they were 
charged upon by the Stonewall Brigade, and 
driven back. With a loud shout the Con- 
federates gained the crest of the hill and 
planted their batteries. Though they had 
marched all night, they took no rest or food, 
but at once began the battle of Winchester. 

Ewell fought on the right and Taylor on 
the left. "Jackson," says a writer, "had 
his war-look on, and rode about the tield, 
regardless of shot and shell, looking as calm 
as if nothing were going on." 

At last, after a fierce fight, the Federals 
gave way, and Jackson entered Winchester 
at the heels of the i)anic-stricken army. The 
people of the town were beside themselves 
with delight to see their loved general once 
more. 

Jackson was for the first time excited. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 157 

He waved his faded cap around his head 
and cheered with a right good will. 

But the troops still pressed forward, Jack- 
son leading the way. When one of his offi- 
cers said, "Don't you think you are going 
into too much danger. General?" his reply 
was, "Tell the troops to press right on to 
the Potomac." And they did press onward 
until the enemy was forced across the Poto- 
mac with the loss of many prisoners and 
valuable stores. 

After resting a few days, Jackson advanced 
towards Harper's Ferry with the view of 
attacking the Federal force there, but was 
stopped by the news that two armies, one 
under General Shields, from the east; the 
other under General Fremont, from the west, 
were to meet at Strasburg and thus cut him 
off from Richmond and capture him. 

He at once hastened back to Winchester, 
where he collected his prisoners and the 
stores of ammunition and medicine which 
he had captured. These he sent up the 



158 THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Valley, and followed rapidly with his whole 
army. 

In the meantime, there was great terror 
at Washington and in the North. Men 
wore anxious faces, and were asking each 
other, "Where is Jackson?" They were 
afraid that he would turn and capture 
Washington. 

But Jackson had only about lifteen thou- 
sand men, and he could not risk the loss of 
the rich stores which he had gained and the 
destruction of his noble army, so he put 
forth all his skill and nerve to save them. 

The Confederates now began a race to 
reach Strasburg before the Federals, the 
larger part of the army marching from near 
Harper's Ferry to Strasburg, nearly fifty 
miles, in about twenty-four hours. Well 
might they be called the "foot cavalry." 

As Jackson marched into Strasburg, Gen- 
eral Fremont's advance was almost in sight; 
and, as the Stonewall Brigade had not yet 
come up, Jackson sent General Ewell to 



THE LIFE OF OEJSF. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 159 

hold Fremont in check. A fierce battle 
ensued, but Ewell at last drove back the 
enemy, and the Stonewall Brigade coming 
up that evening, the whole army continued 
to retreat up the A^alley. 

The race had been won by Jackson, who 
was, for the present, safe. In a brief space 
of time, he had flanked the enemy at Front 
Royal, chased them to Middletown, beaten 
them at Winchester, and sent them flying 
across the Potomac. When nearly entrapped 
by two other columns, he had passed be- 
tween them, and was now hurrying with his 
rich stores to the upper Valley. Cooke tells 
us that he had captured two thousand three 
hundred prisoners, one hundred cattle, thirty- 
four thousand pounds of bacon, salt, sugar, 
coffee, hard bread, and cheese, valuable med- 
ical stores, 1125,185 worth of other stores, 
two pieces of artillery, and many small-arms 
and horses. All this was gained with the 
loss of about four hundred men. 

But, as Jackson retreated up the Yalley, 



160 TUB LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

he was again threatened by a great danger. 
Shields' s column marched up the Page Yalley 
with the view of crossing the Massanutton 
at New Market and striking Jackson in the 
rear, just as Jackson had done to Banks 
when he went down to Front Royal. But 
Jackson was too wary to be taken by surprise. 

He sent swift horsemen across the moun- 
tain, who burned the bridges over the south 
branch of the Shenandoah at Columbia Mills 
and the White House, and then placed sig- 
nal stations on top of the mountain to inform 
him of what was going on in the Page Valley. 

Fremont was now pressing on his rear, 
but he moved swiftly up the A^alley with 
the main army, while Ashby kept guard on 
every side. When Harrisonburg was reached, 
he again marched east and took his stand 
near the village of Port Eepublic. 

On the 6th of June, as the gallant Ashby 
was leading a charge to repel the advance of 
the Federal cavalry, he fell, pierced to the 
heart by a single bullet. His last words 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 161 

were, "Charge, Yirginians!" Thus, in the 
moment of victory, died the brave and noble 
Ashby. His loss was deeply felt by Jack- 
son, who now needed more than ever, the 
daring and skill of his "Chief of Cavalry." 

As I have told you, Jackson was at Port 
Eepublic, a village at the forks of the Shen- 
andoah river. Fremont was at Harrison- 
burg, fifteen miles to the northwest, and 
Shields was at Conrad's Store, fifteen miles 
to the northeast. The space between the 
three generals formed the sides of a triangle. 
Just back of Jackson, in the Blue Ridge, was 
Brown's Gap, through which he could retreat 
and join Lee before Richmond. 

But Jackson had no idea of leaving the 
Yalley without a parting blow. The Shen- 
andoah was very high, so that Shields and 
Fremont could not unite their forces. Jack- 
son therefore determined to attack Shields 
first, and, if victorious, then to turn his 
attention to Fremont. I have forgotten to 
tell you that Shields was east of the river, 



162 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



and Fremont to the west; while Jackson 
was between the north and south branches 
of the Shenandoah, which unite at Port 
RepubUc. There was a bridge over the 
north branch, between Jackson and Fre- 
mont; but over the south branch, between 
Jackson and Shields, there was only a ford. 
The north bank was high, while the south 
was low, and stretched away in broad mead- 
ows towards the mountains. 

Jackson, leaving the trusty Ewell at Cross 
■^^^^■^■^^H Keys to watch Fre- 
^^^V^ ^^^^1 mont, who was ad- 

^^Hh ^ ^''^^1 ^^ncing ^^^o^ Harrison- 
^^^y^^[[^^H burg, took possession 

^^^F -^fl^^^l ^^ ^^^ heights over- 
W^ ^^^^IB looking the bridge at 
Port Republic, and sta- 
tioned there two bri- 
gades and his remain- 
ing artillery. A small 
body of cavalry was sent across South river 
to find out the position of Shields. 



J. 






General R. S. Ewell. 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 163 

Early on the morning of the 8th of June, 
the cavahy came galloping back with the 
news that Shields' s army was close at hand. 
Jackson, who was in the town with some of 
his staff, at once gave orders for the batteries 
on the north side to open lire ; but before it 
could be done, the Federal cavalry dashed 
into the town followed by artillery, which 
rumbled forward and took position at the 
southern end of the bridge. 

Jackson and his staff were now cut off 
from his army, which was on the north 
bank. We are told by Cooke and others 
that Jackson, with great presence of mind, 
rode towards the bridge; and, rising in his 
stirrups, called sternly to the Federal officer 
commanding the gun, "Who told you to 
l^ost that gun there, sir? Bring it over 
here!" The officer, thinking that Jackson 
was a Federal general, bowed, "limbered 
up" the piece, and was preparing to move. 
In the meantime Jackson and his staff gal- 




General Jackson at Port Republic Bridge. 



(164) 



TEE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 165 

loped across the bridge, and were soon safe 
on the northern side. 

No time was lost by the Confederates. 
Their artillery opened fire upon the Federals, 
and Jackson in person led the Thirty-seventh 
Virginia regiment, drove the foe from the 
bridge, and captured the gun with the loss 
of only two men wounded. 

In the meantime, Jackson's long wagon- 
train, which contained his ammunition, was 
bravely defended on the outskirts of the 
village by a handful of pickets and a section 
of artillery until help came. 

The fire of the guns on the north bank 
made it impossible for the Federals to hold 
the village, so, leaving their other gun, they 
retreated, and dashed across the ford of the 
South river by the way they had come. 

Hardly had the guns stopped firing at 
Port Republic, before heavy firing was heard 
in the direction of Cross Keys, five miles off, 
between Ewell and Fremont. The latter had 
twenty thousand men, while Ewell had only 



166 THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

about six thousand. The Confederates were 
posted with great skill ujwn a ridge, and 
after fighting from ten A. M. until nightfall, 
at last drove back the enemy with great 
loss. 

The battle of Cross Keys being fought, 
the Confederate troops lay down* upon their 
arms, ready to renew the fray the next day; 
but Jackson had other plans. 

He had determined to strike Shields next ; 
so, leaving a guard to watch Fremont, he 
ordered Ewell to march at break of day to 
Port Republic. 

At midnight he caused a foot-bridge to be 
thrown across South river so that his in- 
fantry might pass over to attack Shields. 
This bridge was made by placing wagons 
lengthwise across the swollen stream. The 
floor of the bridge was formed of long boards 
laid loosely from one wagon to another. 
Over this rude, frail structure, the whole 
body of infantry passed, but not so quickly 
as its general wished. About midway the 



THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 167 

stream, for some reason, one wagon was 
about two feet higher than the next. This 
made a step, and all the boards on the 
higher wagon were loose but one. When 
the column began to move over, several men 
were thrown, by the loose planks, into the 
water ; so, refusing to trust any but the firm 
plank, the men went, at this point, in single 
file. This made the crossing over very 
tedious; and, instead of being in line to 
attack Shields at sunrise, it was ten o'clock 
before the entire army had passed over. 
Thus, three loose boards cost the Confed- 
erates a bloody battle; for they found the 
Federals drawn up in battle array and ready 
for the fight. This incident shows how much 
care should be taken in performing the most 
trivial duty ; as the success of great events is 
often affected by very slight causes. It is 
said that Jackson hoped to surprise Shields, 
whip him in a few hours, and then recross 
the river to rout Fremont. 

But the battle of Port Eepublic, June 9th, 



168 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

raged furiously for hours. The Federals 
fought with great courage, and it was not 
until evening that they gave way and re- 
treated, panic-stricken, from the field. 

The Confederates followed them eight or 
ten miles down the river, and returned laden 
with spoils and prisoners. 

At ten o'clock A. M., Jackson sent orders 
for the guard left at Cross Keys under Gen- 
eral Trimble and Colonel Patton to march to 
his aid and to burn the bridge behind them. 
This they did, and came up in time to join 
in the fight. 

Towards nightfall General Jackson led 
his weary troops by a side road into the safe 
recesses of Brown's Gap, in the Blue Ridge. 

As they passed the field of battle on their 
return, they saw the hills on the north side 
of the river crowded with tlie troops of 
Fremont, who had arrived in time to see the 
rout of Shields. 

The river being high, they did not attempt 
to cross, but began a furious cannonade upon 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 169 

the Confederate surgeons and men who were 
caring for the wounded and burying the dead. 

The next day, scouts brought word to 
Jackson that Fremont was building a bridge, 
but soon after, having learned, doubtless, 
that General Shields' s army was entirely 
routed, he retreated. 

On June 12th, the Confederate cavalry 
under Colonel Munford entered Harrison- 
burg, Fremont having gone back down the 
Valley, leaving behind him his sick and 
Avounded, and many valuable stores. 

Four hundred and fifty Federals were 
taken prisoners on the field, while as many 
more were found in the hospitals. One 
thousand small-arms and nine field-pieces 
fell to the victorious Confederates. The 
Federal loss in the two battles was about 
two thousand. In the battle of Cross Keys 
Jackson lost only forty-two killed and two 
hundred and thirty-one wounded; but in 
the battle of Port Republic, ninety-one 



170 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

officers and men were killed, and six hun- 
dred and eighty-six wounded. 

Though Jackson's plans had not been 
entirely carried out, he Avas now rid of the 
two armies of forty thousand men Avhich 
had been on his front and flanks, and had 
threatened to crush him. 

Within forty days his troops had marched 
four hundred miles, fought four great battles, 
and defeated four separate armies, sending 
to the rear over three thousand prisoners 
and vast trains of stores and ammunition. 

From this time Jackson stood forth as a 
leader of great genius; the little orphan 
boy had indeed climbed the heights of fame 
amid a "blaze of glory." 

On the 12th of June, Jackson led his 
army from its camp, in Brown's Gap, to the 
plains of Mt. Meridian, a few miles above 
Port Kepublic. Here, the wearied men 
rested for five days, while Colonel Munford, 
who now commanded the cavalry, kept 
watch on the turnpike below Harrisonburg. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 171 

This is the dispatch which Jackson sent 
to Richmond: 

" Near Port Republic, June 9th, 1862. 

Through God's blessing, the enemy near Port 
Republic was this clay routed, with the loss of 
six pieces of his artillery. 

T. J. JACKSON, 

Maj07'- General, coinmaiiding. 

The Saturday following the battle was 
set apart by General Jackson as a day of 
thanksgiving and prayer, and the next day 
(Sunday) the Lord's Supper was celebrated 
by the Christian soldiers from all the army. 
General Jackson was present at this service, 
and partook of the sacred feast in company 
with his men. 

On the 16th of June, General Jackson 
ordered Colonel Munford to press down the 
pike, if possible, as far as New^ Market, and 
to make the enemy believe that his whole 
army was advancing. This, Colonel Munford 
did, and the Federals, believing that Jack- 



172 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

son was again on the march, retreated to 
Strasburg and began to fortify themselves. 

In the meanwhile, June 17th, Jackson 
had begun a march, but not towards Stras- 
burg. The mighty army of McClellan had 
advanced so close to Richmond that its 
camp-fires could be seen from the city; and 
General Lee sent for Jackson to come to his 
aid as swiftly as possible. 

Great care was taken to make the Fed- 
erals believe that troops were being sent to 
Jackson, so that he could again go down 
the Valley, and attack Fremont and Shields 
at Strasburg. A division of men was sent 
as far as Staunton, and the report was spread 
that a large force was on the march to Jack- 
son; but the truth was, that our hero was 
already on his way to Richmond, where the 
next blow was to be struck. 

It was important to keep the Federals in 
ignorance of Jackson's movement, so Colonel 
Munford was ordered to make a great show 
with his men along the turnpike, and to 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 173 

allow no news to be carried to the foe. The 
men were told to give this answer to all 
questions, ''I do not know." The historian 
Cooke tells us this amusing incident, which 
grew out of the above order: "One of 
Hood's men left the ranks to go to a cherry- 
tree near by, when Jackson rode past and 
saw him. 'Where are you going?' asked 
the General. 'I don't know,' replied the 
soldier. ' To what command do you belong ? ' 
*I don't know.' 'Well, what State are you 
from?' 'I don't know.' ' What is the mean- 
ing of all this?' asked Jackson. 'Well,' was 
the reply, ' Old Stonewall and General Hood 
issued orders yesterday that we were not to 
know anything until after the next fight.' 
Jackson laughed and rode on." 

On the 25th of June, the corps reached 
Ashland, near Richmond. 

Jackson had gone on in advance to the 
headquarters of General Lee, where his post 
in the coming strife was assigned him. 



174 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Flank, side of an army or fleet. 

Re'in-force', to send more soldiers. 

Mys'tery, a great secret. 

Peti'tion (pe-tish'-un), a request. 

Gen'ius (jen'-yus), a man of wonderful mind. 

Ad'jutaiit, a military officer who assists another. 

Describe — 

The battle of Kernstown. 

The retreat to Swift Run Gap, McDowell, 

Front Royal, Winchester, Cross Keys, 

Port Republic. 
The march to Richmond. 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 175 



CHAPTER YIII. 
A Major-General. 

(continued.) 

General McClellan was now on the banks 
of the Chickahoniiny river, at one point only 
six miles from Richmond, with the largest 
and best equipped army that had ever been 
raised upon American soil. 

His position was a strong one, having the 
Pamun'key river on one side and the James 
on the other, with the marshes of the Chick- 
ahoniiny in front as natural barriers to the 
assaults of the Confederates. Besides, he 
had thoroughly fortified his line, which swept 
in a crescent shape from Meadow Bridge 
road on the right, across the Chickahoniiny, 
to the Williamsburg road on the left — a dis- 
tance of about fifteen miles. 

General Lee now determined to send Gen- 
eral Jackson to the rear of the enemy to 




176 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

turn their flank, while General A. P. Hill 
and Longstreet assailed them in front. 

On the evening of the 26th of June, Gen- 
eral A. P. Hill advanced upon Mechanics- 
ville and attacked the strong 
position of the Federals. The 
latter defended themselves 
bravely, but at last fell back 
to their works on Beaverdam 
creek. The victorious Con- ^ 'V 
federates followed, and an ^^n. a. p, hiu. 
artillery lire Avas kept up until nine o'clock 
at night. The attack was renewed at dawn 
the next morning and raged for hours, when, 
suddenly, the Federals retreated in haste from 
their strong position, leaving everything in 
flames. 

Jackson had come up, turned their flank, 
and caused them to retire. Generals Hill 
and Longstreet followed them until about 
noon, when they found the Federals again 
drawn up for battle behind Powhite creek, 
on a ridge whose slope was fortified by 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. Ill 

breastworks of trees, and whose crest was 
crowned with batteries of frowning guns. 

The Confederate troops at once advanced, 
but were repulsed with great loss. Again 
they charged up the hill, and gained the 
crest only to be driven back by the storm 
of shot and shell. 

Longstreet was now ordered to make a 
move on the right towards Gaines's Mill, 
where the Federals were massed in a strong 
position. In the meanwhile General Lee 
ordered General Jackson to advance to the 
help of Hill. About live o'clock P. M. the 
sound of guns was heard to the left, and 
soon Jackson's corps was in the thickest of 
the light. 

Before them were a swamp, a deep stream, 
masses of felled timber, and a wood filled 
with armed men, and cannon belching forth 
fire and smoke. The work was hard, but 
when Jackson gave the order, his men swept 
forward with wild cheers and a roar of 



178 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

musketry, while above the clang arose the 
cry of Jackson! Jackson! Jackson! 

The men rushed on through the swamp, 
across the creek, and up into the wood, and 
drove the enemy from point to point until 
they gained the top of the hill. 

On the right of the line, Hood's Texas 
brigade charged with a yell, 

C leaped ditch and stream, and 

^ '*. drove the foe pell-mell before 
T\ them. In this charge they 

lost one thousand men, but 
took fourteen cannon and 
nearly a regiment of prisoners. 
The enemy now retreated in wild disorder 
all along the line, and the battle of Old Cold 
Harbor was won by the Confederates. The 
very name of Jackson had struck terror to 
the foe! 

The next morning, the 29th of June, Jack- 
son was ordered to move on the rear of 
McClellan's army. 

At Savage Station, the Confederates, 




General J. B. Hood. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. 2H0MASJ. JACKSON. 179 

under General Magruder, had a tierce light 
witli the rear guard of the Federals. At 
nightfall the latter again gave way, leaving 
behind vast stores and a number of wounded 
men. While the battle at Savage Station 
had been going on, the main body of the 
Federal army passed over the bridge at 
White Oak swamp, destroyed it, and were 
for awhile safe, for the Confederates could 
not pass over the marshy stream under the 
tire of the Federals, who were massed on the 
opi^osite bank. 

General Jackson opened tire with his 
artillery, and the next morning, the 1st of 
July, forced the passage of White Oak 
swamp, and captured a part of the Federal 
artillery. 

In the meantime a tierce battle had been 
fought at Frasier's farm, by Generals Long- 
street and A. P. Hill, with another portion 
of McClellan's army. Under cover of night, 
the latter drew off, leaving their dead and 
wounded, and a large number of prisoners. 



180 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

General Jackson was now placed in front 
of the Confederate forces in pursuit of the 
foe, who was nearing the James river. 
It was General Lee's plan to cut them off 
from the river and destroy the whole army, 
but the Confederates were worn out with 
much fighting, and General McClellan was 
allowed to make a stand on Malvern Hill. 
This strong position he had hastily fortified ; 
and here, as a wild animal at bay, was his 
whole army, determined to contend for 
existence. 

General Lee ordered an assault, placing 
Jackson and D. H. Hill on the left and 
Magruder on the right. Owing to the tim- 
ber and marshes, the Confederates could use 
but little artillery, while the Federals, from 
their greater height, rained a storm of shot 
and shell from three hundred cannon. 
The gunboats on the James also threw 
their monstrous shells above the heads of the 
Confederates. In spite of all odds, these 
devoted men (Jackson's) charged across 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 181 

marshes and up the hill, forcing the enemy 
back; but, after a fierce combat, they fell 
back with great loss. Again and again 
they charged, with the same result. At sun- 
set, Magruder, who with much difficulty had 
gotten his troops into position, charged on 
the right with great bravery. 

As darkness came on, the Confederates 
fought with renewed courage. Whole lines 
of the enemy fell beneath their musket fire, 
but the guns could not be taken by the 
Confederates, because no line of men could 
live within the zone of fire which flamed 
along the mouths of the belching cannon. 

About ten o'clock P. M. the firing ceased, 
and the Confederate troops, holding their 
position, slept upon the battle-field. 

When the battle had ended thus, Jackson 
went slowly to the rear, where his faithful 
servant, Jim, was waiting for him with food 
and a pallet made upon the ground. After 
eating a few morsels, Jackson lay down and 



182 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

fell into a deep sleep. About one o'clock, 
Generals Hill, Ewell, and Early came to tell 
him that their commands were cut to pieces, 
and that when day broke they would not 
be able to continue the light. Jackson list- 
ened to them in silence, and then said: 
"McClellan and his army will be gone by 
daylight." The generals thought him mad, 
but when morning came, they found that he 
had foretold aright the flight of McClellan. 
Malvern Hill was found to be deserted by 
the foe. They had retreated during the 
night to Harrison's landing, under cover of 
their gunboats, and Richmond was for the 
time safe. 

The battle of Malvern Hill was a dearly 
bought victory for the Confederates. General 
Jackson lost in the battle three hundred 
and seventy-seven men killed, and one thou- 
sand seven hundred and forty-six wounded, 
with thirty-nine missing. As soon as pos- 
sible, the Southern army followed McClellan, 
but found him too strongly entrenched to 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 183 

attack. So the worn-out men went into 
camp near by, and rested for the first time 
in a fortnight. 

General Jackson soon grew weary of 
watching McClellan, and began to plan a 
bold march into Maryland to threaten Wash- 
ington city. It was not long before he did 
move northward. News came that a Fed- 
eral army of forty thousand men, under Gen- 
eral Pope, was coming towards Gordonsville 
to the help of McClellan. General Jackson 
was at once ordered to advance to meet him 
and drive him back. 

His corps moved forward, and, on August 
9th, fought the battle of Cedar Run. In 
this fierce battle one of the regiments began 
to fall back. At that instant Jackson placed 
himself at the head of the column, drew his 
sword, and cried in a voice of thunder, 
"Rally, brave men! Jackson will lead you! 
Follow me!" This turned the tide of battle, 
and the Federal army broke into full retreat. 
Just before this battle, some ofiicers enquired 



184 TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

of "Jim," the General's servant, if there 
were any signs of a battle. ''Oh, yes, sir," 
replied he, "the General is a great man 
for praying night and morning, all times; 
but when I see him get up in the night and 
go off and pray, then I know there is going 
to be something to pay; and I go right 
straight and pack his haversack, for I know 
he will call for it in the morning." 

General Lee now came up with the greater 
part of the Southern army, leaving only a 
small force to watch General McClellan. 
The plan of the Southern leaders Avas to rout 
General Pope and march northward to 
threaten Washington, thus compelling Gen- 
eral McClellan to leave his camp on the 
James river. 

The main body of Lee's army moved 
nearer to Pope's front, while Jackson's corps 
moved off to the northwest, and was again 
"lost." It was marching across the Rappa- 
hannock and behind Bull Run mountains, 
which hid it from the enemy. 




" General Jackson preparing far battle. 
13 (185) 



186 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

On August 26tli it passed through the 
mountains at Thoroughfare Gap, and took a 
position between Pope and Washington city. 

Jackson at once took Manassas Junction, 
where three hundred prisoners and immense 
quantities of stores were captured. The 
poor, hungry soldiers took what could be 
carried away, and the rest was burned. 

As soon as Pope heard that Jackson was 
in his rear, he moved to meet him, and 
ordered McDowell to close in upon him from 
the direction of Gainesville, saying, "We 
shall bag the whole crowd." But the wary 
Jackson was a match for his foes. Taking 
a good position upon the old battle-field of 
Manassas, he at once attacked the enemy 
coming up on the evening of August 28th. 
When darkness fell upon the blood-drenched 
plain, the Confederates were the victors. 
On the next morning the fight was renewed, 
but Jackson's men were almost exhausted, 
when Longstreet's corps appeared and soon 
turned the tide of battle. 



THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 187 

It was not long before Pope's army was 
in full retreat towards Washington, and 
Jackson was again victor. During a part 
of tlie battle a severe storm came up. An 
aide from General A. P. Hill rode up, and 
reported that his ammunition was wet, and 
asked leave to retire. "Give my compli- 
ments to General Hill," said Jackson, "and 
tell him that the Yankee ammunition is as 
wet as his; to stay where he is." "There 
was always blood and danger," says a friend, 
"when Jackson l)egan his sentences with, 
"Give my compliments." 

General Lee now determined to cross the 
Potomac and threaten Washington, and 
Jackson led the advance. On September 
6th he reached Frederick and remained there 
S3veral days, resting and refitting his com- 
mand. When General Lee came up, he at 
once sent General Jackson to Harper's Ferry 
(September 10th), to capture the Federal 
forces at that place. After taking the 



188 TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

heights around that town, he proceeded to 
take the town by storm. 

In a short while the garrison of eleven 
thousand men, with seventy-three cannon, 
thirteen thousand stand of small-arms and 
a vast amount of stores, surrendered. Jack- 
son, leaving General Hill to receive the 
captured prisoners and property, at once set 
out to return to General Lee, at Sharpsburg, 
a little village two and one-half miles from 
the Potomac river. After a weary night- 
march he reached that place on the morning 
of the 16th. He found General Lee facing 
the hosts of McClellan and drawn up for 
battle. When he had rested his worn-out 
men for several hours, he took his position 
on the left, next to the Potomac river. This 
was the post of danger, for against it, on the 
17th, McClellan massed forty-four thousand 
men. 

The corps of Jackson numbered now, after 
so much fighting and marching, less than 
seven thousand men, but this little band 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 189 

held the ground throughout the day, and 
bravely drove back every assault of the 
enemy. 

When night closed the bloody fray, each 
army held its own position. On the next 
morning, General Lee awaited another at- 
tack, but General McClellan had received so 
heavy a blow that he would not venture 
another battle until fresh troops had come up. 

The 18th was spent by both armies in 
burying their dead and caring for the 
wounded. In the evening General Lee, 
learning that large bodies of fresh troops 
were reaching McClellan, determined to 
recross the Potomac. As soon as night 
came, the troops began to move towards the 
ford at Shepherdstown. "For hours," says 
Dr. Dabney, "he was seen seated upon his 
horse, motionless as a statue, watching the 
passage until the last man and the last car- 
riage had touched the Southern shore." 
The battle of Sharpsburg, or Antietam 
(An te'tam), as it is sometimes called, was 



190 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

a drawn battle — neither side was victorious, 
each losing in killed and wounded about 
twelve thousand men. 

The Southern men were so worn out and 
foot-sore from constant marching, and weak 
from starvation, that they were really unfit 
for the battle of Sharpsburg. More than 
half of Lee's army was left behind along the 
Virginia roads, and those who, wan and 
gaunt, fought the battle, Avere kept up 
during that bloody day only by their devo- 
tion to the Southern cause and leaders. 
Fortune also had smiled upon McClellan 
by revealing to him the plans of Lee. An 
order setting forth Lee's line of march was 
picked up in D. H. Hill's deserted camp, 
and taken to McClellan, who then, of course, 
knew just where to strike Lee. 

On the morning of the 19th, a force of 
Federals crossed the Potomac at Boteler's 
ford, but were met by A. P. Hill's division 
of Jackson's corps, and driven back into the 
river with great loss. On the northern side 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 191 

of the river, seventy large cannon were 
planted, which rained grape-shot upon the 
Southern men, but they rushed forward and 
hurled hundreds of the Federals into the 
water, and then picked them off with steady 
aim until the river was black with floating 
bodies. 

While this was going on, a messenger 
from General Lee found Jackson watching 
the progress of the light. His only remark 
was, "With the blessing of Providence, 
they will soon be driven back." McClellan 
made no further attempt to follow Lee. 

For some weeks Lee's army lay quietly 
resting in the lower Valley. But Jackson 
was never idle. He was now busy in get- 
ting clothes and shoes for his men, and 
filling up the ranks which had been so 
thinned during the summer. His regiments 
were at the time filled up by the return of 
the sick and the foot-sore and by new re- 
cruits. 

Jackson had now become the idol of his 



192 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

men. Their pet name for him was "Old 
Jack." Whenever he rode by they would 
cheer themselves hoarse; and his devotion 
to them was just as great. This story is 
told of him by an eye-witness of the scene: 
''When Jackson's men were on their famous 
march to Manassas, at the close of the first 
day, they found Jackson, who had ridden 
forward, dismounted, and standing upon a 
great stone by the road-side. His sun-burned 
cap was lifted from his brow and his blue 
eyes gleamed in the rays of the setting sun. 
His men burst forth into cheers, but he at 
once sent an officer to request that there be 
no cheering, as it might betray their presence 
to the enemy. Instantly the cheering 
stopped, but as they passed their General 
their eyes told what their lips could not 
utter — their love for him. Jackson turned 
to his staff, his face beaming with delight, 
and said, ' Who could not conquer with such 
troops as these? ' " Well might he be proud 
of men who had been marching and fighting 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 193 

for five days, many of them having no rations 
and living upon green corn found along the 
way, yet whose courage and devotion knew 
no bounds ! 



Cres'gent, shaped like the new moon. 

Bar'rier, a bar, a defense. 

Swamp, soft, low, and spongy ground. 

De-vo'-tion, love. 

Re-veal-ing, making known. 

Can you describe — 

McClellan's position on the Chickahominy 

river ? 
The charge of Jackson's men at " Old Cold 

Harbor"? 
The batde of Malvern Hill ? 
The second battle of Manassas ? 
The capture of Harper's Ferry ? 
The battle of Antietam ? 



194 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

CHAPTER IX. 
A Lieutenant-General. 

While our hero was in the lower Valley, 
on the 11th of October, 1862, the Confed- 
erate Government bestowed upon him the 
rank of Lieutenant-General, next to the 
highest grade in the service. General Lee's 
army was now divided into two great corps, 
one of which was given to Jackson, the 
other to Longstreet. These generals have 
been called the "two hands" of Lee. 

On the 18th of October, General Jackson's 
corps was sent forward to destroy the Balti- 
more and Ohio railroad. This they did in 
the most complete way. Burning all the 
bridges and ripping up the cross-ties, they 
finished their work by setting fire to the ties 
and throwing the iron rails upon the heaps 
of blazing logs. 

After the work was done, Jackson rode 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



195 



over the whole distance, thirty miles, to see 
that the destruction was complete. 

Towards the end of October, Jackson 
moved his corps 
near the Blue 
Kidge mountains 
to watch the 
movements of 
McClellan, who 
was again cross- 
ing the Potomac 
with a vast army 
of one hundred 
and forty thou- 
sand men GeneraUames longstreet. 

But McClellan' s movements were so slow 
that he was removed from his command, 
and General Burnside was put in his place. 

The latter general resolved to try a new 
way to Richmond, and moved his army 
towards Fredericksburg, on the Rappahan- 
nock river. General Lee at once marched 
to that town to meet him. General Jackson 




196 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

was called from the Yalley to the help of 
Lee, and reached that general's camp on the 
1st of November. The Southern army num- 
bered in all about sixty-tive thousand men. 
Of these, there were in Jackson's corps 
twenty-live thousand. 

G-eneral Lee, with his two corps, was now 
upon the heights south of the Eappahannock 
river; while General Burnside, with five 
corps, held Stafford Heights, north of that 
river. The town of Fredericksburg was 
between the two armies. The winter set in 
early, and both armies suffered greatly from 
the cold. The Confederates were for the 
most part barefooted, without tents and 
warm clothes, and had only rations of fat 
meat and corn bread; but these trials did 
not lessen their valor. They dug out trenches 
and threw up breastworks, and waited for 
the advance of the enemy. 

On the 10th of November, General Burn- 
side began to move his men over the river 
on pontoon bridges. One hundred and fifty 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 197 

big guns on Stafford Heights poured shot 
and shell upon the town of Fredericksburg, 
setting it on fire and causing many of the 
people to leave their homes. By the morn- 
ing of the 13th, ninety thousand Federals 
had crossed the river. Longstreet held the 
Confederate left while Jackson held the right. 

The battle began by a fierce attack upon 
Jackson's right, which onset was bravely 
met ; for the men, fighting fiercely, drove the 
Federals back to the cover of their big guns. 
At eleven A. M., the Federals assaulted 
Longstreet' s position, but again and again 
they were driven back by the Confederates, 
who did not fire until the foe was close upon 
them. Charge after charge was made by 
the Federals, but to no purpose, for the grim 
Confederates held their own. 

When night came, thirteen thousand Fed- 
erals lay dead or wounded upon the frozen 
plain, while the Confederates had lost five 
thousand brave men. 

There is no doubt that Jackson ordered a 



198 THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

night attack upon Burnside's beaten army, 
hoping thereby to turn a defeat into a rout, 
and to drive them pell-mell into the river, as 
he had done at Boteler's ford; but his 
better judgment told him that it was unwise 
to send his men against the strong works 
along the river road, under the fierce fire of 
the cannon on Stafford Heights. 

So he recalled the order, and thus lost the 
chance of a decisive victory; for Burnside 
did not offer battle again, but on the night 
of the 16th, in the midst of a great storm 
of wind and rain, withdrew his forces to 
their post on Stafford Heights. 

Both armies now went into winter quar- 
ters. Jackson's corps built huts in the 
forests, and made themselves as comfortable 
as possible, while their General accepted for 
his lodgings a cottage at Moss Neck, the 
home of Mr. Corbin. 

Here he set to work to write out reports 
to the government of his wonderful battles. 
This he did with great clearness and regard 



TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 199 

for the truth, recording briefly the exploits 
of his little army. 

Never had general a more glorious story 
to relate! 

Since the battle of Kernstown, in March, 
these brave men had fought the big battles 
of McDowell, Cross Keys, Port Eepublic, 
Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Cedar Run, 
Manassas, Harper's Ferry, Antietam, and 
Fredericksburg — marched hundreds of miles, 
and cajDtured thousands of prisoners. Never 
had they quailed in battle; when ammu- 
nition had given out they fought with 
stones, and when there had been no rations, 
they lived on roots and berries. So 
rapidly did they march from place to 
place that they were called the "foot cav- 
alry," and the knowledge that Jackson was 
"lost," cast terror into the ranks of the foe. 
Even their best generals could not tell where 
Jackson would next be found. 

"During the battle of Cold Harbor," 
relates one of Jackson's men, "as we were 



200 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

taking back some prisoners, one of them 
said: "You think that you are doing great 
things here, but I tell you we are whipping 
'Old Jack' in the Valley like smoke." 
"Well, maybe you are," said I, "being as 
'Old Jack' is here. You've been lighting 
his men all day." 

Just then, Jackson rode by with his staff. 
"There's our General," said I; "now, how 
much are you whipping us in the Yalley?" 
The man looked dazed, and said, "Well, my 
stars, if that cMt 'Old Jack!'" 

Indeed, the feats of Jackson had now made 
him famous. Not only his own people, but 
strangers from Europe made visits to the 
camp to see the great general and his men. 

During these months of rest, Jackson 
enjoyed greatly the visits of General Stuart, 
who made the mess merry with his jokes 
and gay laughter. He also made the ac- 
quaintance of little six-year-old Jane Corbin, 
who lived near by in the big house. 

Every evening when the work of the day 



THE LIFE OF GEN, THOMAS J. JACKSON. 201 

was over, she would run across to see the 
General, who would always have some little 
present for her. One evening, having no 
other gift for her, he ripped off the one band 
of gold braid from around his new cap, and 
placed it upon her sunny brow. 

This lovely child lived only a few months 
thereafter. The very day on which General 
Jackson left Moss Neck in the spring, little 
Jane was seized with scarlet-fever and died 
after being ill only one day. General Jack- 
son mourned greatly for his little friend. 
About the same time he heard of the illness 
of his own baby daughter, whom he had 
never seen. 

He had never had a furlough since leaving 
Lexington, and in April, since he could not 
visit his dear ones, they came to him. He 
found a quiet home for his wife near by, and 
great was his pleasure in nursing and 
caressing his little daughter. He gave her 
his mother's name — Julia — and did not rest 
until she had been baptized. 




Oeneral Jackson crowning Jane Corbin. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 203 

During the winter, at Moss Keck, the piety 
of General Jackson seemed ever to increase. 
His chief thought was to live for the glory 
of God. He often worshijied with his men 
in the log church which they had built in 
the forest, and toiled early and late for their 
welfare. 

Cooke, the historian, tells us that one day, 
while talking with a member of his staff 
about the great battle which he knew would 
soon take place, he said: "My trust is in 
God." A brief silence followed these words, 
and then, rising to his feet, he exclaimed, 
with flashing eyes, -I wish they would 
come." 

The spirit of battle was upon him, and he 
longed to go forward to the fray, which 
proved to be the last, but not least, of his 
wonderful exploits. 

General Burnside had been removed from 
command of the Federal army after the bat- 
tle of Fredericksburg, and General Hooker, 
''Fighting Joe," as he was called, was put 



204 TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

in his place. His army now numbered about 
one hundred and fifty thousand men. 

General Lee's army, to the number of forty- 
five thousand men, lay entrenched upon the 
southern banks of the Rappahannock river. 
General Longstreet's corps was now absent 
in Suffolk county, so Lee had not one-third 
as many men as Hooker. 

Hooker's plan was to divide his army into 
two parts. The smaller part was to cross 
the river near Fredericksburg and engage 
the Confederates in battle, while the larger 
part would march up the northern bank of 
the Rappahannock river, and, crossing over, 
reach the fiank of Lee's army, which would 
thus have the foe in front and also in the 
rear. At the same time Hooker planned to 
send a large troop of cavalry to reach and 
destroy the railroads leading to Richmond, 
thus cutting General Lee off from the capital. 

This was a bold plan, but one that was 
easily guessed by such soldiers as Lee, 
Jackson, and Stuart. The last named kept 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



205 



watch, and as soon as a movement was 
made, reported it to Lee. Lee at once fell 
back to Chancellorsville, but not until the 
main army under General Hooker himself 
had reached "The Wilderness" beyond 
Chancellorsville, and thrown up strong 




Lee, Jackson, aiul Stuart at tJte battle of Fredericksburg. 

earthworks. The left wing of Hooker's 
army, under General Sedgwick, crossed the 
river below Fredericksburg on the 29th of 
April, and was at once met by Jackson, 
who was ever watchful. Sedgwick, however, 
did not intend to tight, but merely to keep 



206 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

General Lee at Fredericksburg while Hooker 
was gaining the point on Lee's flank. Gen- 
eral Lee promptly guessed the plan, and 
ordered General Jackson to leave only one 
division in front of Sedgwick, to proceed at 
once in search of Hooker, and to attack and 
repulse him. This order reached Jackson 
about eight P. M., and by midnight his 
troops were on the march. Early the next 
day they reached the battle-field, where the 
troops of General Anderson were already 
engaged with the enemy. 

Jackson halted his column, and sending 
four brigades to the support of Anderson, 
drew up the remainder of the corps in line 
of battle upon a ridge near by. The battle 
raged fiercely all day, and when night came, 
the Confederates had reached Hooker's first 
line of entrenchments, in the midst of the 
dense forest. 

Meanwjiile General Lee had come up with 
the remainder of the army, and a sharp fight 
had taken place in front of Hooker's right 



THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 207 

wing. Night put an end to the contest, 
when, weary and w^orn, both armies lay down 
to rest upon the battle-tield. 

When Lee and Jackson met that night 
they- were joined by General Stuart, who 
told them that, though General Hooker had 
strongly fortified his position upon the east, 
south, and southwest, upon the north and 
west he had left it open. Jackson's quick 
mind at once planned to attack Hooker in 
the rear, just as Hooker had planned to 
attack Lee. 

To the northwest, there were no earth- 
w^orks, and if Jackson could surprise the 
Federals he would be almost sure of victory. 
Stuart w^as there with his gallant horsemen 
to cover this movement, and the forests were 
so dense that Jackson was sure of leading 
his men silently to the rear of Hooker. 

General Lee listened to his arguments, 
and finally gave consent for his great lieu- 
tenant to make the trial. He (General Lee) 
w^ould remain with tw^o divisions in front to 



208 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

engage Hooker, while Jackson would march 
around and strike him in the rear. 

By the aid of his chaplain, Rev. Mr. Lacy, 
who knew that country well, General Jack- 
son found a road which would lead him to 
the rear of Hooker's army. By sunrise he 
was in the saddle at the head of his column. 
General Stuart was there to cover his line 
of march, and his troops, knowing at once 
that their General was making one of his 
famous flank movements, went forward at a 
rapid pace. We are told by Dr. McGuire, 
who was with Jackson, that on the march 
they were met by General Fitz. Lee, who 
told Jackson that he would show him the 
whole of Hooker's army if he would go to 
the top of a hill near by. They went 
together, and Jackson carefully viewed 
through his glasses the Federal command. 
He was so wrapped up in his plans that on 
his return he forgot to salute or thank Fitz. 
Lee, but hurried on to the column, where he 
ordered one of his aides to go forward and 



TEE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 209 

tell General Rodes to cross the plank road 
and go straight on to the turnpike, and 
another aide to go to the rear of the column 
and see that it was kept closed up, and all 
along the line he kept saying, ''Press on, 
press right on." The fiercest energy seemed 
to possess him. When he arrived at the 
plank road he sent this, his last, message 
to Lee: "The enemy has made a stand at 
Chancellorsville. I hope as soon as practi- 
cable to attack. I trust that an ever kind 
Providence will bless us with success." At 
three P. M., having marched fifteen miles, 
he had reached the old turnpike, and was 
exactly on the opposite side of the enemy to 
that held by General Lee. 

He had left the Stonewall Brigade, under 
General Paxton, on the plank road, with 
orders to block the way to Germanna ford. 
He found the outposts held by Stuart's vigi- 
lant troopers, who had guarded well his 
advance. As soon as possible he formed 
his army in three lines — the division of 



210 THE LIFE OF QEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Eodes in front, that of Colston next, and 
A. P. Hiirs in the rear. Between live and 
six P. M. the word was given, and the lines 
marched forward into the forest. 

The thickets were so dense that many of 
the soldiers had the clothes torn from their 
backs, but on they went, sometimes creep- 
ing to get through the thick undergrowth. 
After a march of two miles they came sud- 
denly upon the right wing of Hooker's army. 
The men were scattered about, cooking and 
eating their suppers, wholly unconscious of 
the approach of the dreaded Jackson. With 
a wild yell, the Confederates dashed forward 
and drove the enemy pell-mell through the 
forests for three miles. Jackson's only order 
was "Press forward," and onward rushed his 
devoted men after the terrified fugitives. 

At eight o'clock the line of Kodes was 
within a mile of Chancellorsville, still in the 
forest, when General Jackson ordered the 
fresh troops of A. P. Hill to advance to the 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 211 

front to relieve those of Rodes, who were 
worn out with marching and fighting. 

He knew that Hooker would send forward 
other troops, so he went to the front himself 
to get his men in order. As he rode along 
the line he would say, "Men, get into line! 
Get into line! " Turning to Colonel Cobb, he 
sent him to tell Greneral Rodes to take pos- 
session of a barricade in front, and then rode 
away towards the turnpike. 

But before the broken ranks of Rodes 
could gain the barricade Hooker sent forward 
a large body of fresh troops, and the battle 
was renewed all along the line. 

It was now ten o'clock, and the pale moon 
sent her silvery rays down into the heart of 
the dismal Wilderness, whose echoes awoke 
to the sound of tramping feet, the rattle of 
musketry and the groans of the dying. 
Through moonlight and shadow, with these 
sounds ringing fn his ears, Jackson rode for- 
ward to his death. 

After riding up the turnpike a short dis- 



212 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

tance, he found the enemy advancing. Turn- 
ing, he rode back rapidly towards his own 
line. The Southern men lying hid in the 
thickets, thinking that Jackson and his staff 
were a squad of Northern cavalry, opened a 
rapid fire upon them. So deadly was their 
aim that nearly every horse in the party was 
killed. Two officers were killed, others hurt, 
and General Jackson himself was wounded 
three times. His left arm was broken just 
below the shoulder joint, and was also 
wounded lower down. A third ball had 
entered the palm of his right hand and 
broken two bones. 

His left hand, so cruelly hurt, dropped by 
his side, and his horse, no longer controlled 
by the reins, ran back towards the enemy. 

As the horse galloped between two trees, 
he passed beneath a low bough, which 
struck his rider in the face, tore off his cap, 
and threw him violently back in the saddle. 
He did not fall, however, but grasped the 
reins with his bleeding right hand, and 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 



213 



turned him back into the road. There, 
the General found the greatest confusion. 
Horses, mad with pain and fright, were 
running in every direction, and in the road 
lay the wounded and dying. 




Wliere General Jackson fell. 

Captain Wilbourne, one of Jackson's 
aides, now seized the reins and stopped his 
horse. Seeing that the General was badly 
hurt, he lifted him from the saddle, almost 
fainting from the loss of blood. He was 



214 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

then laid down by the side of the road, his 
head resting upon Captain Wilbourne's 
breast, while a messenger went to summon 
Dr. McGuire, his chief surgeon. Soon Gen- 
eral Hill came up, and, pulling off the Gen- 
eral's gauntlets, found that his left arm 
was broken. 

As the enemy were not far off, his arm 
was quickly bandaged with a handkerchief, 
and he attempted to walk. But after they 
had gone a few steps a litter was brought, 
and the General was phxced upon it. 

The litter was hardly in motion when the 
fire from the guns of the enemy became terri- 
ble. Many men were struck down by it, 
among whom were General Hill and one of 
the bearers of the litter. 

The litter was placed upon the ground, 
and the officers lay down by it to escape 
death. 

After awhile the fire changed, and Jackson 
rose to his feet and walked slowly on, lean- 
ing upon tw members of his staff. General 



<l I', 



TEE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 215 

Pender, coming up, saw by the moonlight 
that Greneral Jackson was badly hurt. "Ah ! 
General," said he, "I am sorry to see that 
^•( )U have been wounded. The 
lines here are so much broken 
that I fear we will have to 
J^ J fall back." 
HP" Though almost fainting, 

Jackson raised his head, and 
said : "You must hold your 
ground, General Pender! You must hold 
your ground!" This was the last order of 
Jackson on the field. 

The General, being very faint, was again 
placed on the litter, and the whole party 
moved through the forest towards the hos- 
pital at Wilderness Run. 

As they were going slowly through the 
undergrowth, one of the men caught his 
foot in a grapevine and fell, letting the litter 
fall to the ground. 

Jackson fell upon his wounded shoulder, 
and for the first time groaned most piteously. 




General Jackson's last order on the field: 
You must hold your ground, General Pender ! You must hold your 
ground!'" 

(216) 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 217 

With great difficulty they made their way 
until they came to a place in the road where 
an ambulance was waiting. The General 
was placed in it, and was soon met by his 
surgeon, Dr. McGuire, who, having sprung 
into the ambulance, found the General 
almost pulseless. 

Some spirits was given him, which re- 
vived him, and ere long he was laid tenderly 
in a camp bed at the hospital. Here he fell 
into a deep sleep. About midnight he was 
awakened, and told by Dr. McGuire that it 
was thought best to amputate his arm. 

"Do what you think best, Doctor," was 
the calm reply. 

The arm was amputated, and the ball 
taken out of his right hand by the skillful 
surgeon, and he again fell into a quiet sleep, 
which lasted until nine o'clock on Sunday 
morning. 

General Hill being wounded. General 
Stuart was placed in command of Jackson's 
corps. He now determined to wait until 




218 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

morning to attack the strong works of 
Hooker, which were again in front of the 
Confederates. 

The next morning Stuart 
thundered on the west, and 
Lee on the east and south. 
When the Stonewall Brigade 
went forward, they shouted, oen.j.E.B. stuart. 
"Charge, and remember Jackson!" "But 
even as they moved from their position," 
says Dr. Dabney, "their General, Paxton, 
the friend and former adjutant of Jackson, 
was struck where he stood. But his men 
rushed forward, and, without other leader 
than the name which formed their battle-cry, 
swept everything before them." At ten 
A. M., May 3d, Chancellorsville was taken 
by Lee, and the Federals took refuge behind 
new barricades nearer to the river. 

In the meantime, General Sedgwick, who 
had been left at Fredericksburg by General 
Hooker, attacked General Early, and cap- 
tured a part of his command. General Lee, 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 219 



having Hooker in check, sent help to Early, 
and oh Wednesday, came up himself and 
drove General Sedgwick back across the 
river, where Hooker had already retreated 
on Tuesday night, May 5th. 

When General Jackson 
awoke on Sunday morning, 
May 3d, he asked one 
of his aids to go to Rich- 
mond for his wife. He had 
sent her to that city when 
the Federals had begun to 
move across the river. His 

OeneralJuhal A.Early. . ^ -, -, -, 

mind was clear and he 
stated that if he had had one more hour of 
daylight, he would have cut off the enemy 
from the United States ford, and they would 
have been obliged either to fight their way 
out or to surrender. 

It was now thought best to take him to a 
more quiet place; so on Monday he was 
moved to Mr. Chandler's near Guinea's 
Depot, where every care was taken to make 




220 THE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

him comfortable. He seemed to take much 
interest in hearing of the battle on Sunday, 
and said of the Stonewall Brigade, "They 
are a noble body of men. The men who 
live through this war will be proud to say, 
'I was one of the Stonewall Brigade.' " 

He then went on to say that the name of 
Stonewall belonged to the men of the Brigade 
alone, as they had earned it by their stead- 
fast conduct at First Manassas. He spoke 
also of General Bodes, and 
said that on account of 
gallant conduct, he de- 
served to be advanced to 
the rank of major-general. 
The death of General 
Paxton gave him great 

OeneralR.E.^es. distrCSS, but hc grCW 

calmer when told of the glorious exploits of 
his old brigade. 

He was much pleased at this noble letter 
from General Lee : 




THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 221 

''General : 

I have just received your note, informing me 
that you were wounded. I cannot express my 
regret at the occurrence. Could I have directed 
events, I should have chosen, for the good of the 
country, to have been disabled in your stead. 

I congratulate you upon the victorv which is 
due to your skill and energy. 

Most truly yours, 
(Signed) R. E. LEE, General ^ 

His mind seemed ever dwelling on relig- 
ious subjects, and he was entirely submissive 
to the will of God. 

On Wednesday, his wounds were doing so 
well that it was thought possible to take 
him by railroad to Richmond. On that 
night, however, while Dr. McGuire was 
absent from him for awhile, he was taken 
with a severe pain in his side, which was 
in fact due to pneumonia, which had now 
set in. 

From that time he grew weaker, and at 
last it was seen that he could live only a 
few hours. 



222 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Mrs. Jackson arrived on Thnrsday, and to 
her he said, "I know you would gladly give 
your life for me, but I am perfectly resigned." 
When his weeping wife at last told him that 
death Avas near, he whispered, "Very good, 
very good, it is all right." He then sent 




Julia Jackson at the ar/e of four years. 

messages to many friends, and desired to be 
buried in Lexington, in the Yalley of Vir- 
ginia. 

His little girl was now brought in to 
receive his last farewell. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 223 

Upon seeing her, his face lit up with a bright 
smile, and he murmured, "Little darling!" 
He tried to caress her with his poor maimed 
hand — she smiling in her delight at seeing 
him again. Thus, she remained by his side 
upon the bed until it was seen that he was 
growing very weak. 

Then his mind began to wander, and as 
if again upon the battle-field, he cried out: 
"Order A. P. Hill to prepare for action!" 
"Pass the infantry to the front!" "Tell 
Major Hawks to send forward provisions for 
the men!" Then his vision changed, and 
he murmured, "Let us cross over the river, 
and rest under the shade of the trees." 

"The moment had indeed come," says 
Cooke, "when the great leader was to pass 
over the dark river which separates two 
worlds, and rest under the shade of the 
Tree of Life. From this time, he continued 
to sink, and at fifteen minutes past three in 
the afternoon, on Sunday, the 15th of May, 
he peacefully expired." 



224 TEE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Pontoon', a bridge built on boats. 
Furlough (fur'lo), a short leave of absence. 
Chap'lain, a clergyman of the army or navy. 
Rations (or rash-uns), a certain quantity of food 
and drink. 

Vig'i lant, watchful. 

Barricade', a hastily-made fortification. 

Tell about — 

The battle of Fredericksburg. 
Jackson's life at Moss Neck. 
Jackson's march around Hooker. 
His death. 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSOJy. 225 



CHAPTER X. 



Upon the Roll of Fame. 

Upon hearing the news of Jackson's 
death, the grief of the South was equalled 
only by the wish to do him honor. 

President Davis sent a 
special train to bear his 
remains to Richmond. He 
also sent as the gift of the 
country, the beautiful new 
flag of the Confederate 
Congress to be his wind- 
ing sheet. 

When the train reached 
Richmond, it was met by a vast concourse of 
weeping people. On Wednesday, the coflin, 
preceded by military, was borne from the 
Governor's Mansion to the Capitol through 
the main streets of the city. The hearse 
was drawn by four white horses and fol- 




226 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

lowed by eight generals as pall-bearers. 
Then came his horse, caparisoned for battle, 
and led by his body-servant; then, followed 
his staff, the President, the Governor of 
Virginia, the city authorities, and a vast 
number of sorrowing people. 




" Fancy, '^ or '^Little. Sorrel.'" 
General T. J. Jackson's War-Horse, SO Years Old. 

As the procession moved along, cannon 
were fired and bells tolled. At last, the 
Capitol was reached, and the body was 
borne, amid the tears of the multitude, into 
the building where it lay in state all day. 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 227 

Twenty thousand personn are said to have 
passed in front of the body to gaze for the 
last time upon their mighty chief. 

It is said that President Davis stood long, 
gazing at the quiet face, and then in silence 
left the house. 

Old soldiers pressed around the bier with 
tears streaming down their bronzed faces, 
while one stooped and kissed the cold lips 
of his beloved commander. 

The next day, the remains were borne, 
attended by a guard of honor, to Lexington, 
where they were received by General Smith, 
the corps of cadets, the professors, and many 
sorrowing citizens. They were borne to the 
barracks of the Military Institute and placed 
in the old class-room of the dead general. 
Every half hour, the cadet battery pealed 
forth a fitting requiem to the great teacher 
of artillery tactics. 

Then "escorted by infantry, cavalry, and 
artillery, and l)orne to the grave upon a 
caisson of the cadet battery," he was laid to 



228 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

rest beside the graves of his first wife and 
child in the beautiful cemetery of Lexington. 

The "right hand" of Lee was thus taken 
away just as its heaviest stroke had fallen 
upon the enemy. General Lee, the army, 
the Avhole South mourned for their fallen 
hero. There were other generals as brave 
and true as Jackson, but none who possessed 
his keen insight into the movements of the 
enemy, his celerity of action, and the won- 
derful certainty of victory which made him 
the idol of his own soldiers and the dread of 
the foe. 

But the renown of Jackson is not confined 
to the limits of his own land. It has crossed 
the ocean, and now the plans of his battles 
in the Valley of the Shenandoah and of 
Second Manassas and of Chancellorsville are 
studied by military men, and used by them 
as models of strategy and tactics. All 
English-speaking people are justly proud 
that the greatest military genius of the age 
belongs to them. 



Oh: ^ r- Irt73 



Jackson !<tatuc in Vapitul Square, likhniond, Vn. 

(229) 



230 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

Not long after the end of the war, his 
admirers and friends in England presented 
to the State of Virginia a statue of Jackson 
in bronze. It was placed in the Capitol 
Square in Richmond not far from the statue 
of Washington and the great Virginians of 
his time. 

In the spring of 1891, a beautiful and 
imposing statue of our hero was erected in 
Lexington, Virginia, by his old soldiers and 
friends throughout the South. On July 
21st of that year, it was unveiled in the 
presence of a vast multitude of people . 

The anniversary of the First Manassas, 
when Jackson, in a "baptism of tire," re- 
ceived the new name of "Stonewall," and 
flashed like a meteor upon the wondering 
world, was thought a fitting day on which 
to display to his countrymen his figure in 
enduring bronze. 

For days and nights, the trains bore into 
the historic town crowds of soldiers and 
visitors from all parts of the country. 



TEE LIFE OF OEK THOMAS J. JACKSON. 231 

Beautiful arches and mottoes graced the 
buildings and highways, and the whole was 
crowned by perfect weather. 

At 12 o'clock, the great parade moved 
from the Virginia Military Institute. Gen- 
eral James A. Walker, the only commander 
of the Stonewall Brigade then living, was 
chief marshal of the day. 

As the procession moved on, band after 
band of Confederates were seen — battle- 
scarred veterans in the old Confederate 
grey, military companies in bright uniforms, 
famous generals with bronzed faces and 
grizzled hair, the chaplains of the Confed- 
eracy, and visiting camps of veterans from 
other States. 

Following these came the officers of the 
Virginia Military Institute and Washington 
and Lee University. Finally came a large 
concourse of citizens and carriages. Among 
those in the carriages were General Jubal 
A. Early, the orator of the day, and his 
host, General Custis Lee, the sculptor of the 



232 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

statue, Edward Y. Valentine, Mrs. General 
T. J. Jackson and her son-in-law, Mr. Chris- 
tian, and his children, Julia and Thomas 
Jackson Christian. 

At last, the grand-stand in the University 
grounds was reached. After prayer and the 
reading of three Confederate war poems, 
"Stonewall Jackson's Way," "Slain in 
Battle," and "Over the River," General 
Early, clad in Confederate grey, made the 
address, which gave a simple account of the 
great battles fought by Jackson. He was 
greeted with hearty cheers, and tears rolled 
down the cheeks of many veterans as they 
again in memory fought and marched with 
the immortal Jackson. 

At the end of the speech, the procession 
again formed, and marched to the cemetery 
where stood the monument. 

At the given signal, Mrs. Jackson and her 
two grandchildren, Julia Jackson Christian, 
aged five years, and Thomas Jackson Chris- 
tian, aged three years, mounted the steps 



THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 233 

of the platform. A single gun sounded, and 
the two children with united hands pulled 
the cord and let the veil fall, revealing to 
admiring thousands the face and form of 
Jackson. 

Cheers and shouts rent the air, while the 
Eockbridge Artillery fired a salute of fifteen 
guns from the cannon which they had used 
at Manassas. 

The statue, clad in the uniform of a 
major-general, stands with the left hand 
grasping a sheathed sword, upon which the 
weight of the body seems to rest. The right 
hand rests upon the thigh and holds a pair 
of field glasses, which it would seem that 
the General has just been using. 

The figure is eight feet high and stands 
upon a granite pedestal ten feet tall. Upon 
the stone are carved only the words, "Jack- 
son, 1824-1863," and "Stonewall." 

Under the monument, in a vault, rests 
the remains of the dead soldier and his 




Jackson Statue at Lexington. 



(234) 



THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 235 

daughters, Mrs. Christian, and Mary Graham 
who died in infancy. 

The veterans lingered long about their 
beloved hero. Many times had they followed 
him on the weary march and through the 
smoke of battle, and now it seemed as if he 
were with them again to lead them on to 
victory. 

At last, saluting, they marched in silence 
away, carrying his image in their memories 
and the love of him in their hearts. 

Perhaps it will interest my readers to 
have a pen and ink portrait of Mrs. Jackson 
at that time, as given by a leading journal- 
ist of the day. ''Mrs. Jackson sat just 
behind the famous generals. She wore a 
handsome costume of black silk trimmed 
with crepe, black gloves, and a crepe bonnet. 
Her face is a most attractive one. Her 
black hair, still unmixed with grey, was 
brushed in graceful waves across her fore- 
head. Her eyes, large and dark, sparkled 



236 THE LIFE OF GEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

and filled with tears, as veteran after vet- 
eran pressed forward to grasp her hand." 

Not long before, her daughter, Mrs. Chris^ 
tian, the baby Julia whom Jackson had 
loved so well, had died, leaving two children, 
Julia and Thomas. These children are the 
only descendants of our beloved General. 
At this writing, in the year of our Lord 
1898, Mrs. Jackson is still living, and to 
her the hearts of Southern people turn in 
fond affection, because she was the best 
beloved of their mighty chief. 

But not enough had been done to honor 
our hero. In 1896, a noble building called 
the "Jackson Memorial Hall" was com- 
pleted at the Virginia Military Institute, 
and dedicated with fitting ceremony to the 
memory of Jackson. In these halls and 
beneath the shadow of this building, the 
cadets of the South for many long years will 
be trained for war. How fit the place! 
Near by rest Lee and Stonewall Jackson — 
mighty soldiers, and Christian warriors! 




(237) 



238 THE LIFE OF OEN. THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

There the sweeping Avinds proclaim our 
heroes' fame, and nightly the glittering stars 
bhant in heavenly chorus: "They shine, 
they shine with our brightness." 



Ca-is-son, a chest for ammunition. 
Capar'isoned, dressed pompously. 
Tac'tics, the science and art of placing forces 

for battle. 
Req'uiem, a hymn sung for the dead. 
Vete'ran, one who has grown old in service. 
Ped'-es-tal, the base of a column or statue. 

Write in your own words — 

A description of the reception of General 

Jackson's body in Richmond. 
A description of his monument in Lexington, 

Virginia. 



The Lone Sentry. 



By James R. Randall. 



'Twas at the dying of the day, 

The darkness grew so still ; 
The drowsy pipe of evening birds 

Was hushed upon the hill. 
Athwart the shadows of the vale 

Slumbered the men of might, 
And one lone sentry paced his rounds 

To watch the camp that night. 

A grave and solemn man was he. 

With deep and sombre brow ; 
The dreamful eyes seemed hoarding up 

Some unaccomplished vow. 
The wistful glance peered o'er the plain 

Beneath the starry light ; 
And, with the murmured name of God, 

He watched the camp that night. 



240 SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 

The future opened unto him 

Its grand and awful scroll ; 
Manassas and the Valley march 

Came heaving o'er his soul, 
Richmond and Sharpsburg thundered by 

With that tremendous fiorht 

o 

Which gave him to the angel host 
Who watched the camp that night. 

We mourn for him who died for us, 

With one resistless moan ; 
While up the Valley of the Lord 

He marches to the Throne. 
He kept the faith of men and saints 

Sublime and pure and bright ; 
He sleeps — and all is well with him 

Who watched the camp that night. 



Observations of " Stonewall's " Servant. 

(From a well authenticatefl anecdote.) 



Mrs. Warfield, Beechmore, Ky. 



I'll tell you wat, ole Cato," 

Quoth Cuff by the bright camp-fire, 
We's gwine to hab a battle ; 

Nebber min' dis mud an' mire, 



SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 241 

Nebber min' dis rain wat is fallin' 

Enuff to melt de stones, 
We's gwine to hab a battle, 

I feels it in my bones. 

" You passes fur a prophit — 

I'se heerd dat all my life ; 
An' you gibs me de name ob ' Foolish' 

Before my berry wife. 
But fur all dat, I tells you 

(Does you hear me. Cato Jones ?) 
We's gwine to hab a battle, 

I feels it in my bones." 

Then up arose old Cato, 

That swart, yet reverend sage, 
With hair as white as lamb's wool, 

And the stiffened limbs of age ; 
Yet stately in his presence 

And stalwart in his frame, 
A man in his Maker's image. 

And worthy his Roman name. 

He grasps his thorn-stick tightly 

As he stood above the fire. 
With a face in which derision 

Was blended well with ire ; 



242 SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 

Then, gazing down on Cuffy 
With an eye intense with scorn, 

He spoke these words of wisdom — 
' ' You feels it, try a horn ! 

" Does you tink de great Commander 

Gibs such as you to know 
His orders to his captins 

In de night time, Cuffy Crow ? 
You hears de masta prayin', 

You listens wen he groans 
And dats de way dis battle 

Am stirrin' in your bones. 

" I seed your bead eyes twinklin', 

About de crack ob day, 
When de masta stopped his groanin' 

And 'posed his mind to pray ; 
But I tought you knowed your manners 

Too well to see or hear 
De soldier in de presence 

Ob his hebbenly brigadier. 

"He prayed like dat old King David 
Wat loved de Lord so well ; 
He called on de God ob battles 
For mo den I kin tell. 



SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 243 

I felt my har uprisin', 

Like Job's, upon my head, 
When he 'voked de precious sperits 

Ob our ole Virginny dead. 

" No organ in white folks' churches 

Ebber pealed so grand a sound 
As de masta's voice discoursin' 

'Bout habbin' Satan bound. 
He prayed like dat holy Samuel 

Wat broke de pride ob Saul ; 
Den I knowed de white trash Linkum 

Boun' to hab anoder fall. 

' Dis day dese words am proven, 

We goes to meet de foe ; 
It takes no nigga prophit 

To guess dat, Cuffy Crow. 
For whenever de masta's wakeful, 

And whenever he prays and groans, 
Why dem dat lies by his camp-fire 

Feel battle in dere bones." 



244 SOUTEERN WAR POEMS. 



Stonewall Jackson Mortally Wounded. 



(" The Brigafle must not know, sir.") 



" Who've ye got there ? " — " Only a dying brother, 

Hurt in the front just now." 
" Good boy ! He'll do. Somebody tell his mother 

Where he was killed, and how." 

" Whom have you there ? " — " A crippled courier, 
Major; * 
Shot by mistake, we hear. 
He was with Stonewall." — " Cruel work they've 
made here ; 
Quick with him to the rear ! " 

" Well, who comes next ? " — " Doctor, speak low, 
speak low, sir ; 
Don't let the men find out. 
It's Stonewall ! " — " God ! " — " The brigade 
must not know, sir. 
While there's a foe about." 

Whom have we hei^e — shrouded in martial 
manner. 

Crowned with a martyr's charm ? 
A grand, dead hero, in a living banner, 

Born of his heart and arm : 



SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 245 

The heart whereon his cause hung — see how 
clingeth 
That banner to his bier ! 
The arm wherewith his cause struck — hark ! 
how ringeth 
His trumpet in their rear ! 

What have we left ? His glorious inspiration, 

His prayers in council met. 
Living, he laid the first stones of a nation ; 

And dead, he builds it yet. 



The Bivouac of the Dead. 



By Captain O'Hara. 



The muffled drum's sad roll has beat 

The soldier's last tattoo ; 
No more on life's parade shall meet 

That brave and fallen few. 
On Fame's eternal camping ground 

Their silent tents are spread, 
And glory guards, with solemn round, 

The bivouac of the dead. 



246 SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 

No rumor of the foe's advance 

Now sweeps upon the wind, 
No troubled thought at midnight haunts, 

Of loved ones left behind ; 
No vision of the morrow's strife 

The warrior's dream alarms ; 
Nor braying horn, nor screaming life 

At dawn shall call to arms. 

Their shivered swords are red with rust, 

Their plumed heads are bowed. 
Their haughty banner, trailed in dust, 

Is now their martial shroud. 
And plenteous funeral-tears have washed 

The red stains from each brow ; 
And the proud forms, by battle gashed 

Are freed from anguish now. 

The neighing troop, the flashing blade, 

The bugle's stirring blast. 
The charge, the dreadful cannonade. 

The din and shout are past. 
Nor war's wild note, nor glory's peal. 

Shall thrill with fierce delight 
Those breasts that never more may feel 

The rapture of the fight. 



SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 247 

The Sunny South. 

Mens invicta manet. 



From the "Land vc Love. 



The Sunny South ! the Sunny South ! 

The land that gave us birth ; 
Where brightest hopes have cheered our youth- 

The land of generous worth. 

The Sunny South, though cast in gloom, 

Still land of beauteous flowers, 
Exhaling fragrance o'er our doom 

With sweet, refreshing powers. 

The Sunny South ! now almost mute, 

Still land of precious store. 
Where Nature yields her choicest fruit 

With sweetness crimsoned o'er. 

The Sunny South ! awake ! awake ! 

Rise, like your mountains, rise ! 
The birds sing sweedy for your sake, 

Beneath bright, genial skies 



248 SOUTHERN WAR POEMS. 

The Sunny South ! be high your aim — 
Adorn your golden prime ; — 

Unconqiiercd minds you still can claim, 
And make your lives sublime. 

The Sunny South ! heroic, grand ! 

Where high-soulcd men did dare 
To bleed and die ! — a noble band — 

For home, and for the Fair. 

The Sunny South ! let virtues blend 

In thee, all lands above : 
When God propitious smiles will lend, 

And bless the land we love. 

c. L. 



DEC 19 1899 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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